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Community 'devastated' by Air India crash

Jody Sabral
BBC News, South East
BBC Shyam Govinda standing in the yoga-centre in Crawley where the Hari Krishna community is based. BBC
Shyam Govinda says the community is in shock at the news of the crash

Crawley's Hare Krishna and Gujarati communities have been holding prayers since the news broke of the fatal Air India crash en route to Gatwick.

"Just like all the other people around the world, we were completely shocked and devastated," Shyam Govinda, who represents the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) community in Crawley, told BBC Sussex.

"There was a unique solidarity with the victims because you know Gatwick is on our doorstep - we extend our full comion and to anyone locally impacted emotionally, spiritually or otherwise," Mr Govinda added.

More than 200 people died when the London-bound flight hit a residential area in Ahmedabad just seconds after taking off at about 09:00 BST on Thursday.

A special prayer session will be held on Sunday at 17:00 BST at the Bhakti Yoga Centre.

Bharat Lukka, trustee of the Sanatan mandir at Crawley's Apple Tree Centre, said there are approximately 800 Gujarati families whose heritage originates where the plane departed, and they had received the enger list on Thursday.

"We are trying to establish if any local people are on the plane," he said.

"There are very familiar family names but obviously pinpointing them is difficult... I spoke to the the High Commission in London and it doesn't seem like those people from around south London have family in Crawley."

Flowers were laid by the perimeter fence at Gatwick on Friday.
Flowers have been laid on the perimeter fence at Gatwick in ance

There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight.

At least 50 injured medical students are being treated in hospital after the plane crashed into a doctors hostel in the western Indian city.

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