The Indian men’s hockey team and their Argentine counterparts observed a solemn moment of silence to honour the victims of the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad ahead of their FIH Hockey Pro League match on Thursday.

The tragedy occurred shortly after takeoff when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed into the UG hostel of BJ Medical College in the Meghaninagar area of the city. The aircraft, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, met with disaster within minutes of departure, plunging into a densely populated residential zone. Civil hospital officials have confirmed that over 200 lives are feared lost in one of the worst aviation tragedies in recent memory.

According to Air India’s statement, the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. In a glimmer of hope amid the destruction, one lone survivor has been rescued, while others injured in the crash have been rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.