Web abuzz with condolences, prayers for crash victims

NEW DELHI - From tweeting prayers and creating communities on social networking sites to expressing condolences — the web world is abuzz with messages from relatives and friends of victims of Saturday’s plane crash in Mangalore. Celebs like Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar too have poured their hearts out.

On social networking site Facebook, an emotional Varshini Rao said: “My dad is a paediatrician and he lost one of his patients - 15-year-old Aaron - in the crash yesterday (Saturday). He had seen Aaron since he was a kid… so when he came to know of the crash, he just broke down. And looking at him I broke down too.”

Dubai-based Jyothika Shetty wrote of her friend Harshini: “Never thought Harshini would vanish at such a young age of 17. She was just a child who was so enthusiastic…”

Vinu Abraham, who lost his friend in the tragedy, wrote: “I miss my dear friend John Joseph. He always supported me and I will always remember him in my heart! My prayer and thoughts are with him… may his soul rest in peace and god give courage to his family and girlfriend.”

In a community created on the web world titled ‘May God bless the souls and families of people who died in Air India crash’, Mohammed Rihan wrote: “Lost some of our close family friends in the crash… one happened to be my mom’s best friend. God give their families and us the courage to go through this tragedy.”

Bollywood actors, cricketers and other celebrities also expressed their grief and condolences on the microblogging site Twitter.

Superstar Shah Rukh tweeted: “It’s awful when lives end so suddenly. Prayers for the families whose loved ones passed away in the plane crash. Evil and tragedies were made by god because only in the face of them our nobler thoughts crop up. Realization of mortality makes us good.”

Amitabh Bachchan also wrote on Twitter: “Feeling horrid reading crash reports in press. What must families be going through. Praying for them, grieving with them.”

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar similarly wrote: “My heart goes out to all the family members of the people who have lost their lives”.

The IX 812 Dubai-Mangalore flight overshot the runway while landing at the Bajpe airport, about 20 km from Mangalore, early Saturday and caught fire after plunging about 300 metres off a cliff. Among the 158 dead were 19 children and four infants.