US monitoring Air India crash, says Secretary of State Rubio

New York:  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the United State was monitoring the developments in the Air India crash, while he and several members of Congress expressed their sorrow over the devastation.

In a post on X on Thursday, Rubio said, “We continue to monitor developments and stand with the emergency responders working to help those impacted”.

“Heartbroken to hear the news of a tragic plane crash”, he wrote. “My prayers are with all who lost their loved ones in this horrible incident”.

An Air India jet with 242 people on board on its way to Gatwick near London crashed after taking off from Ahmedabad, hitting a medical college campus.

Representative Grace Meng, who is the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) said that her “office stands ready to assist constituents who may have family members that have been impacted”.

There are many people of Indian origin in her New York constituency.

“I’m praying for all who have lost loved ones”, she said in a statement. “I thank the first responders who rushed to the scene of the accident”.

CPAC said in an X post that its 83 members are heartbroken and “our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and all impacted by this tragedy”.

In a post on X, Rich McCormick said on his and Ro Khanna’s behalf as co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, “During this time of profound grief, the United States stands in solidarity with the people of India”.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic crash, “ and “extend our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected”, he added.

Senator Mark Warner, the co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, who posted on X that he was “heartbroken”, said, “The U.S. stands with the people of India during this devastating time”.

Gregory Meeks, the Democratic Party leader on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on X, “Deeply saddened by the plane crash in Ahmedabad and the lives lost among passengers and students on the ground. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones at this time”.

Several members of Congress offered their condolences with expressions of support.

Among them, Raja Krishnamoorthi said on X, “There must be a full investigation to provide answers and prevent such tragedies from happening again”.

A member of the House, he is seeking the Democratic Party nomination to run for Senate from Illinois.

Representative Brad Sherman said the crash “may be the worst aviation disaster since 2014” and urged “the authorities to conduct a full investigation.”

Representative Pramila Jayapal wrote on X, “My heart goes out to the hundreds of families who have lost loved ones today and to the entire community”.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement, “We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB [US National Transportation Safety Board] regarding the accident.

It said that in an international accident, the government of the country involved leads the investigation, and the FAA and the NTSB would assist it if requested.

–IANS