Investigation team dispatched to probe AI171 crash: UK PM Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday said that a UK investigation team has been dispatched as part of the ongoing investigation into the London-bound Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad.

His statement came soon after a British agency that investigates civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents said it will be deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation into the crash.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it has "formally offered its assistance" to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in India.

The investigation is going on, we have dispatched an investigation team; that's been deployed, said Starmer.

The Foreign Secretary (David Lammy) is leading on this, and we will obviously update as soon as we can. But we are working with the Indian authorities in this to establish the facts. I would say to all family, friends of anybody impacted to please contact the Foreign Office for further information, he said.

The AAIB has said it would have expert status in the Indian investigation because UK citizens were on board the plane.

The AAIB statement reads: The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has formally offered its assistance to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, India. In addition, the UK AAIB will have expert status in the Indian safety investigation because UK citizens were on board the aircraft. 

We are deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian led investigation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident.

In a video message issued from Downing Street on Thursday evening, the UK PM also reiterated an earlier statement about being devastated by the scenes from the crash site in Gujarat.

The images and news from India is absolutely devastating and I speak for the entire country in saying that our thoughts are with each and every one of those involved. There will be British and Indian families across the land who are absolutely impacted and our thoughts, first and foremost, are with them, he said.

The Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a residential area in Ahmedabad minutes after taking off. There were 169 Indians, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals onboard apart from 12 crew members.