Islamabad: Leaders across the world on Saturday
expressed grief and sent their condolences to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh for the death of 159 people in an Air India
plane crash in Mangalore in Karnataka.
"I was deeply shocked to learn of the tragic crash of
an Air India Express aircraft this morning in Karnataka,
resulting in the loss of many precious lives," Pakistan Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said in the message to Singh.
Earlier in the morning, the Air India Boeing 737-800
plane on way to Mangalore from Dubai overshot a runway and
crashed at the Mangalore airport in Karnataka, killing 159
people in the first major plane crash in India since 2000.
"On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan
and on my own behalf, I would like to convey our deepest
condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families," Gilani
said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent his condolences
messages to President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Singh
expressing his deep shock at the crash.
"I am shocked at the news about the tragedy: With the
people of India we also are grieved at the multiple loss of
human lives. I request you to convey our sincere sympathies to
the bereaved families and wishes of speedy recovery of the
injured in the air crash," a Kremlin release in Moscow quoted
Medvedev as saying.
In her condolence message to Singh, Bangladesh Premier
Sheikh Hasina conveyed her heartfelt sympathy to the members
of the bereaved families, prayed for the departed souls and
early recovery of the wounded survivors.
"In a message sent to Indian Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh, she expressed her deep shock," Prime Minister
Hasina`s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told PTI in Dhaka.
"She expressed the hope that India would be able to
overcome the shock soon," he said.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa condoled the
loss of lives and said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with
those injured and all the people of India on this difficult
day."
In his message to Singh, Rajapaksa said: "The news of
the grievous loss of life arising out of the aircraft crash in
Mangalore early this morning has deeply saddened me and the
people of my country".
"On behalf of the Government and people of Sri Lanka ,
I offer sincere condolences to the families who lost loved
ones in this accident," he said.
European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek has sent his condolences to India over the tragic plane crash in Mangalore, EuAsiaNews reported.
"I have just been informed about the tragic plane crash in southern India. On behalf of the European Parliament, I send my condolences to the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in this plane crash as well as to the Indian authorities and people," Buzek said in a statement here Saturday.
"I have also been informed that, against the odds, there are eight survivors, I`m touched their lives have been saved, it’s like receiving a second chance," added the statement.
PTI
