The Canadian citizen believed to be on an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff is a dentist who worked in Mississauga, Ont., her family has confirmed.
The husband of Nirali Sureshkumar Patel said she was on board the London-bound flight that crashed in northwestern India on Thursday, killing at least 240 people.
Patel’s dental clinic referred The Canadian Press to the husband, who said that he was in the process of booking travel to India for himself and the couple’s one-year-old child.
“That was my wife,” he said during a brief telephone call. “I am not in a state to speak right now.”
He declined to provide his full name and requested privacy for the family.
The plane crashed in a residential area of Ahmedabad, a city of more than five million people. It marks India’s worst aviation disaster in decades.
Among the dead were at least five students staying at a medical college hostel where the plane crashed. A local hospital said it had received 186 bodies.
At least one person survived the crash, according to a doctor at the hospital. The doctor identified the survivor as Vishwashkumar Ramesh and said he had multiple injuries all over his body but seems to be out of danger. News channels in India aired video that appeared to show Ramesh covered in blood and walking away from the crash site, with people running behind him.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” to learn of the crash and was receiving regular updates on the situation, confirming one Canadian was on the flight.
The prime minister added that Canadian transport officials are in close contact with their international counterparts.
Patel, the Canadian dentist, graduated from a dental college in India before moving to Canada, according to a biography posted on the website of her clinic, the Heritage Dental Centre.
She was a hardworking person who believed in giving back to the community and volunteered at a free dental camp every year, the page reads.
“The feeling that my work has made a difference in someone’s life brightens my day,” Patel is quoted as saying about why she became a dentist.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was “saddened” to learn that a Canadian was involved in the plane crash, and offered condolences to the families of all victims.
“We are keeping you in our thoughts during this difficult time,” he said in a social media post.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.”
“In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected,” he said in a social media post.
A statement from King Charles said that he and Queen Camilla are “desperately shocked by the terrible events.”
“Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across many nations,” the King said.
The flight was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons and seven Portuguese nationals in addition to the lone Canadian, according to Air India. The plane crashed five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. local time.
Indian television news channels reported that the plane crashed on top of the dining area of a medical college hostel and visuals showed a portion of the aircraft atop the building.
The plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This is the first crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
Air Canada has eight Boeing 787-8 aircraft in its fleet and 32 787-9 Dreamliners. The airline said the aircraft have “performed very safely and reliably” when asked whether the Air India crash has raised any safety concerns.
WestJet, which has seven Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in its fleet, also said it has “full confidence” in its staff, training, and the safety standards of its aircraft.
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