President Trump has pledged America’s full support to India after the catastrophic Air India plane crash that killed more than 290 people, offering technical “pointers” to investigators while branding it “one of the worst in aviation history.”
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump revealed he had already been in contact with Indian authorities about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner disaster and was ready to dispatch US assistance “immediately” to help the key American ally.
The President, who appeared visibly shaken by footage of the crash, offered his own analysis of what might have caused Flight AI171 to plummet to earth just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
“The plane crash was terrible. I’ve already told them, anything we can do – it’s a big country, a strong country, they’ll handle it – I’m sure. But I let them know that anything we can do, we’ll be over there immediately,” Trump told reporters.
“It was a horrific crash.”
Trump’s crash analysis
In a remarkable moment, the President revealed he had studied video footage of the doomed aircraft and offered Indian investigators his own theories about what went wrong.
I gave them a couple of pointers,” Trump said at the White House event. “I said, ‘Maybe you look at this,’ you know, we saw the plane, it looked like it was flying pretty well.”
The President continued with his technical assessment: “It didn’t look like there was an explosion, just looked like the engines maybe lost power.”
While declining to share the specific “pointers” he had given to Indian authorities, Trump’s comments suggested he believed engine failure rather than a catastrophic structural issue or explosion was to blame for the disaster.
‘One of the worst in aviation history’
Trump appeared deeply affected by the scale of the tragedy, repeatedly emphasizing the devastating loss of life.
“It looks like maybe only a couple of survivors. It’s a horrible crash. No one knows what it could be,” the President said.
“Boy, it was a terrible crash. One of the worst in aviation history.”
His assessment appears accurate – if the death toll of more than 290 is confirmed, it would make the Air India crash the deadliest aviation disaster since Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people.
Immediate US support offered
The President’s swift offer of assistance underscores the importance of the US-India relationship, with Trump treating the disaster as a priority despite India being a “big country, a strong country” capable of handling the crisis.
Sources close to the administration suggest Trump’s immediate response reflects:
- The strategic importance of US-India relations
- America’s technical expertise in Boeing aircraft investigations
- The presence of one Canadian and potentially US citizens among victims
- Trump’s personal interest in aviation safety
The White House confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is already preparing to send a team of investigators to assist Indian authorities, as is standard protocol when US-manufactured aircraft are involved in crashes abroad.
Boeing under pressure
Trump’s comments come as Boeing faces intense scrutiny over the first-ever fatal crash of its flagship 787 Dreamliner, which has maintained an impeccable safety record since entering service in 2011.
The President’s suggestion that “engines maybe lost power” will likely focus investigators’ attention on the aircraft’s two General Electric GEnx engines, though officials stress it’s too early to determine the cause.
Boeing shares plummeted more than 4% following the crash, with the disaster coming at a critical time as the aerospace giant attempts to recover from years of safety crises following two fatal 737 MAX crashes.
The devastating toll
The latest reports indicate approximately 294 people have died, including:
- All 242 passengers and crew on board (save one miraculous survivor)
- More than 50 people on the ground, mostly medical students
- 53 British nationals among the passengers
- 169 Indian citizens
- 7 Portuguese nationals
- 1 Canadian
British survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, remains the sole known survivor from the aircraft, having miraculously escaped from seat 11A.
International response grows
Trump’s offer of support came as world leaders expressed their shock at the tragedy:
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes “devastating
- King Charles said he was “desperately shocked” by the “terrible events
- Indian PM Narendra Modi described it as “heartbreaking beyond words”
- Russian President Vladimir Putin sent “deepest condolences
Investigation intensifies
As Trump’s “pointers” are considered by investigators, multiple agencies are converging on the crash site:
- India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation leading the probe
- US NTSB team en route to assist
- UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch offering support
- Boeing and GE Aerospace activating emergency response teams
The President’s public engagement with the technical aspects of the crash – while unusual for a head of state – reflects his long-standing interest in aviation and his administration’s commitment to supporting a key strategic partner during one of its darkest hours.
As families mourn the loss of nearly 300 lives, Trump’s pledge that America will “be over there immediately” with any needed assistance offers some comfort that the full resources of US aviation expertise will be available to help determine what caused this catastrophic tragedy.
The investigation into what Trump called “one of the worst in aviation history” continues, with the world watching and waiting for answers about how a state-of-the-art aircraft could fall from the sky just seconds after what should have been a routine takeoff.
