WTC Final: South African, Australian players wearing black armbands to pay respect for people who lost their lives in tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad

LONDON:South African and Australian players are wearing black armbands and observed a minute of silence before the start of Day 3 in the World Test Championship Final, at the Home of Cricket Lord’s on Friday, to pay respect to the people who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad.

The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, went down at 1:38 PM on Thursday near Ahmedabad airport.

The Air India flight with 242 people onboard, including 12 crew members, rammed into a doctors’ hostel in the Meghani area shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the doctors’ hostel near the airport perimeter. Air India said that among the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian national.

The players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands.

A minute’s silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with… pic.twitter.com/u364pNdGyu

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 13, 2025

Indian players are also wearing black armbands, and a minute of silence was observed on Friday before the start of the Intra-squad match in Beckenham for the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash.

BCCI posted on their X handle, “The players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands. A minute’s silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the affected families.”

Earlier, Air India confirmed that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hours, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. 241 people were killed in the crash.

The aircraft was under the command of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar.

As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. (ANI)