Air India plane crash: 700 paramilitary personnel, six NDRF teams deployed

The CRPF has deployed around 150 personnel, including 90 from the Rapid Action Force (RPF) to assist in the rescue operations. “Troops from the 100 battalion of the RAF, along with personnel from the CRPF’s Group Centre in Gandhinagar and Mahila Battalion, have been sent to the crash site to support efforts on the ground. Troops are involved in rescue operations,” a CRPF spokesperson said.

“I was in my office, located around 40 minutes from the crash site, when I saw the news of an plane crash near our office. Without wasting any time, I started coordinating with my seniors and directed our 25 jawans of Quick Action Team along with the medical staff to get ready for the rescue operations,” Commandant (CRPF) Vijay Verma told The Indian Express.

“At the crash site, there was dense smoke and chaos reigned. We first cordoned off the area to control the law and order situation since locals started gathering at the crash site. During the rescue operations, we saw the bodies of all passengers and also the locals where the plane crashed,” he said.

People stand around debris at the site of an airplane that crashed in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state. (Express Photo)

Six teams of NDRF, two teams comprising 67 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, 400 from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were also deployed.

“Personnel of ASG Ahmedabad unit of CISF numbering around 400, which includes all off duty personnel, QRT, office duty personnel, immediately rushed to the spot which was just outside perimeter wall to contribute in the search and rescue operations along with preservation of vital of components of the aircraft for post incident investigation,” a CISF spokesperson said.