THE Indian community in Britain is mourning the plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, in which all but one of the 242 passengers was killed, as well as several people on the ground.
Britain is home to around 600,000 people of Gujarati heritage, and the route is a popular one for the Indian diaspora. The National Council of Gujarati Organisations UK said that it was a “dark and tragic day” for the community.
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this heartbreaking incident,” it said. “The Gujarati and wider Indian communities across the United Kingdom and around the world are united in grief over this unimaginable loss.”
Temples around the UK held prayers and vigils for the crash victims and their loved ones. On Sunday evening, about 100 people gathered for a vigil outside the Indian High Commission in London.
The Pope sent a telegram saying that he was “deeply saddened”, and commended those who had died to “the mercy of the Almighty”.
The Archbishop of York said: “My prayers are with all the victims who were on the plane, those on the ground, and all those who are going through the unimaginable suffering of losing loved ones so unexpectedly.”
The Church of North India issued a statement expressing deep “sorrow and heartfelt condolences” to the families of those who lost their lives.
“We stand in prayerful solidarity with every grieving heart at this painful hour. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, the pilot and co-pilot, crew members, and all who have been affected by this immense tragedy. We also uphold in our prayers those who were injured or traumatized, praying for their healing and strength.
“As a Church, we mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12.15), and we lift our voices in prayer for peace, comfort, and courage for the bereaved families. We pray for our nation as it grieves, asking God to grant wisdom and compassion to those responding to this crisis.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India said the nation was “in shock and mourning”.
The RC Archbishop of Gandhinagar, the Most Revd Thomas Macwan, said: “The entire Catholic Community of Gujarat is aghast.” Several Indian Christians are among the dead, he confirmed, as is Vijay Rupani, the former chief minister of Gujarat.