Addressing his employees through an emotional letter, Tata Group Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed grief and solidarity in the wake of the tragic Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad airport, which claimed 241 lives.
‘One of the darkest days in the Tata Group’s history’
Calling June 12 “one of the darkest days in the Tata Group’s history,” Chandrasekaran said, “Words are no consolation right now, but my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the people who died and were injured in the crash. We are here for them.” The Tata Group took over Air India in January 2022.
“This is a very difficult moment. What occurred yesterday was inexplicable, and we are in shock and mourning. To lose a single person we know is a tragedy, but for so many deaths to occur at once is incomprehensible,” Chandrasekaran wrote.
Chandrasekaran urged employees to remain patient
Acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the cause of the crash, he urged employees to remain patient and assured them that the cause of the tragic crash would be made public.
“I want to say, like you, we want to understand what happened. We don’t know right now, but we will. There is plenty of speculation all around us. Some of it may be right, some of it may be wrong. I want to urge patience,” he wrote.
‘We will be transparent in our communication’
“We witnessed an enormous loss of life yesterday. Why this routine flight turned into a calamity is something trained investigators will help us understand when their work is complete. Once we have verified facts, we will be transparent in our communication about how this tragedy took place,” he added.
“In the past 24 hours, investigative teams from India, UK, and the US have arrived in Ahmedabad to investigate the crash. They have our full cooperation, and we will be completely transparent about the findings. We owe it to the families and loved ones, to our pilots and crew, and to you,” Chandrasekaran stated. “The Tata Group takes its responsibility to society seriously, and that includes being open about what occurred yesterday.”
‘Safety had always been the Group’s top priority’
He reiterated that safety had always been the Group’s top priority since taking over Air India, saying, “As a Group trusted by so many, when we took over Air India, ensuring the safety of its passengers was our first and foremost priority. There was no compromising on it.”
