King Charles says he is ‘desperately shocked’ by Air India plane crash

King Charles III stands in front of the plane after arriving at Berlin Airport in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP, File)

LONDON - King Charles III said on Thursday he was desperately shocked by the Air India plane crash in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, with passengers including 53 Britons and one Canadian.

“My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning,” the monarch said in a statement.

“Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.

“I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time.”

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Catarina Demony)