Devastated relatives are providing DNA samples at local hospitals to help identify victims from the plane crash in Gujarat, western India on Thursday, desperately searching for answers on how this tragedy had happened.
The London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 passenger plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, about 17 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat, with 241 of the 242 people on board confirmed dead and only one surviving.
"I received a call at around 13:30 to 14:00 in the afternoon and learned about the accident," said a family member of a victim.
"She (the victim) was taking the plane to go to her eldest daughter in London. She is the younger daughter and I am son-in-law. We come here to provide DNA to match hers. Our whole family is extremely sad," said another family member.
Following the accident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau initiated a thorough investigation.
"My nephew, his wife, and their two children were killed. We can't understand how this could have happened, how?" said another family member of victims.
A black box was recovered on Thursday night local time. Preliminary data indicated that the plane did not take off normally, suggesting potential malfunctions in takeoff and landing systems.
Families of plane crash victims search for answers to tragedy
President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to China will help eliminate past misunderstandings and issues, underscoring the importance of ties between the two countries.
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the existing misunderstandings and issues between the two countries, noting that addressing these issues is a key goal of his visit.
"The current international landscape is turbulent, with escalating issues among various countries. In this context, the relationship between the Republic of Korea and China holds significant importance for us. the ROK and China are deeply interconnected in many areas, including history, economy, geopolitics, politics and security. Northeast Asia's peace, stability, mutual respect, and common prosperity are crucial for both countries," said Lee.
"Admittedly, there have been some misunderstandings and issues between the ROK and China, which have hindered the development of bilateral relations to some extent. Therefore, the purpose of my upcoming visit to China is to minimize or eliminate these past issues, foster a leap in our bilateral relations to a new level, and solidify the ROK and China as partners that mutually support each other's development," he said.
ROK President hopes to reduce misunderstandings with China during upcoming visit
