“I was struck with grief when I heard of the tragic plane crash near the airport of  Ahmedabad shortly after a plane of Air India had taken off on June 12,  2025. This heart-wrenching   incident claimed many lives and leaves a deep scar. In this difficult time we stand shoulder to shoulder with India,” wrote the Surinamese head of state in a letter to the Indian government. President Santokhi pointed out that  Suriname and India share a historical  bond of  friendship and mutual respect. These ties bring us closer in times of mourning and trials. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims , their families and all who have been hit by this tragedy. On behalf of the government and the people of Suriname I offer my deepest condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his administration and the people of  India,” said President  Santokhi. Accorring to Reuters, about 240 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London crashed moments after taking off from the city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. The sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin and is being treated in a hospital, the airline confirmed. The man told Indian media how he had heard a loud noise shortly after Flight AI171 took off.

"We are still verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed," Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told Reuters. She said the death toll was more than 240, revising down a previous toll of 294 as it included body parts that had been double counted. It was not immediately clear how many of the dead had been on the aircraft or on the ground. The only known surviving passenger was in seat 11A, next to an emergency exit, Chaudhary said, adding that there could be more survivors in hospital. "Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times, which showed a boarding pass for seat 11A in that name online. "It all happened so quickly," he told the paper from his hospital bed.