Turkey connection behind Air India crash? Baba Ramdev hints at sabotage
Following the Ahmedabad plane crash, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has alleged a potential foreign conspiracy, pointing fingers at a Turkish agency responsible for the aircraft's maintenance. Amid growing scrutiny over aviation safety, Ramdev's remarks come after Adani Airport Holdings terminated agreements with Turkish firm Celebi, citing national security concerns.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
In the wake of the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash , Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has alleged a potential foreign conspiracy, raising concerns over foreign involvement in India's aviation sector.Speaking to reporters, Ramdev raised suspicion that a Turkish agency was responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the ill-fated aircraft. He hinted that the crash may not have been purely accidental.'I got to know that an agency from Turkiye used to take care of the maintenance and service of the aircraft,' he said.'India will have to keep a close eye on the aviation sector. There is a possibility of a conspiracy by that agency. India must stop the interference of foreign companies in such sensitive matters.'While Ramdev did not provide evidence to support his claims, his remarks come amid growing scrutiny over aviation safety and maintenance protocols following the incident. Adani Airport Holdings had terminated the ground handling concession agreements with Turkish firm Celebi for the Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports.The decision came after Central government revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi NAS Airport Services, citing national security concerns."Following the Government of India's decision to revoke Celebi's security clearance, we have terminated the ground handling concession agreements with Celebi at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA). Accordingly, Celebi has been directed to immediately hand over to us all ground handling facilities to ensure uninterrupted operations," Spokespersons, Mumbai & Ahmedabad Airports said in a statement.Earlier, news agency PTI also reported that Air India planning to scale back the number of wide-body aircraft it sends to Turkish Technic for heavy maintenance, in light of recent geopolitical developments involving Turkiye's support for Pakistan and condemnation of India's strikes on terror camps.CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline is sensitive to national sentiment and will recalibrate its maintenance strategy accordingly. While some aircraft will still be sent overseas for MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) due to capacity constraints in India, Air India will increasingly divert business to other regions like the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the US.Search and recovery teams continued scouring the site of one of India's worst aviation disasters for a third day after the Air India flight fell from the sky and more than 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said Saturday.The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 33 on the ground. One passenger survived.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Sabotage Angle Also Being Probed In Air India Crash Case: Union Minister
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing from all angles, including sabotage, the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 274 people on board and on the ground last month, Minister of State (MoS) For Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. Mr Mohol also said the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that has been recovered is in AAIB's custody and will not be outside the country for a thorough assessment. The MoS was in conversation with NDTV's Jitendra Dixit at the Pune chapter of the Emerging Business Conclave when he made the remarks. "It (plane crash) was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investigation into it... It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage. The CCTV footage are being reviewed and all angles are being assessed... several agencies are working on it," he said. On June 12, London-bound AI 171, belonging to Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet - crashed seconds after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Only one of the 242 passengers and crew members onboard survived the crash. Officials said the aircraft lost altitude soon after taking off at around 1.30pm. It crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in Meghaninagar area before going up in flames, sending plumes of thick black smoke spiralling up in the air. Nine students and their relatives from the institute were among those who were killed in the accident on the ground. The pilot had issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff, the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said. The minister called the crash a "rare case". "It has never happened that both engines have shut down together," he said, referring to claims by veteran pilots and experts that a dual engine failure may have led to the crash. "Once the (probe) report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem or fuel supply issue or why both the engines had stopped functioning. There is a CVR (cockpit voice recorder) in the black box which has stored the conversation between the two pilots. It is too early to say anything but whatever it is, it will come out. The report will come in three months," he added. A black box is a small device that records information about an aircraft during its flight. It helps in the investigation of aviation accidents. It comprises two devices - the CVR and the flight data recorder (FDR). Mr Mohol dismissed reports that the black box will be sent abroad for scrutiny. "It will not go anywhere. It is in AAIB's custody and there is no need to send it outside. We will do the entire investigation," he said. He said it was natural for passengers to develop apprehensions over air travel immediately after the Air India plane crash. "But let me tell you... all 33 Dreamliners have been inspected on the orders of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). Everything was found safe. That is why I said it was a rare accident. People are no longer scared and travelling comfortably," he said. Besides the crash, the minister spoke on issues such as 419 technical vacancies in the DGCA, the alleged exploitation of pilots by private airlines and on means to make air travel cheaper. "The DGCA will soon begin working on the issue of technical vacancies," he said. Asked if private airlines can make key appointments on their own, he said: "No appointments can be made without the DGCA's approval. Private airlines cannot take whoever they want. You need certain qualifications, etc." He also said a pilot working for a private airline can approach the Civil Aviation Ministry if he or she feels harassed over working long hours. Asked how air travel and food sold across airports can be made cheaper, he said: "The people will get food at cheap rates... Four to five airports have Udaan Yatri Cafes where you get water for Rs 10, tea and samosas for Rs 20 for tea... these will gradually expand."
Hans India
4 hours ago
- Hans India
Dreamliner crash exposes India's aviation weak links
India's aviation ambitions are also being undermined by inadequate Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) infrastructure — especially for wide-body aircraft. The Black Box—comprising the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) — of Air India Flight 171 was recovered on June 13, a day after the crash. The device has suffered extensive damage, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab at Udaan Bhawan, Delhi, will work on retrieving the information. The lab, billed as a ₹9-crore 'state-of-the-art' facility, was inaugurated just two months ago. If it fails to retrieve the data, the Black Box may be sent to the United States for decoding. While major players like Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), GMR Aero Technic, and Tata Advanced Systems have a strong presence in the MRO space, most of their expertise is centered on narrow-body aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. There is a serious shortage of facilities equipped to handle wide-body aircraft and the latest generation of engines. In addition, many existing MROs need major upgrades to meet international standards. Industry insiders also point to a lack of skilled engineers and high import duties on essential spare parts. Indian carriers continue to rely heavily on foreign facilities for major repairs — delaying turnarounds and raising costs. Airframe & Wing Parts: Firms like Aequs, Dynamatic Technologies, Gardner, and Mahindra Aerospace supply parts for the Airbus A320neo, A330neo, and A350 programs. Cargo doors: Tata Advanced Systems manufactures cargo and bulk cargo doors for the A320neo. Rear Fuselage: Dynamatic Technologies has tied up with Deutsche Aircraft to produce the rear fuselage for the D328eco regional turboprop. Helicopter Fuselages: Tata (in partnership with Boeing) is making fuselages for Apache helicopters, while Mahindra Aerostructures is building those for Airbus' H130. Composite Parts: Boeing sources high-end composite parts from its Bengaluru facility to support its global supply chain. India's aircraft components market touched $16.22 billion in 2024 and is projected to nearly double by 2033, propelled by localisation drives, policy support, and growing global partnerships. Over $2 billion worth of components are exported annually to global giants like Airbus and Boeing—thanks to Indian MSMEs and aerospace start-ups. The Dreamliner crash has jolted India's aviation sector out of its comfort zone. As the country aims for the skies, it must further strengthen the ground it takes off from. India Moves Towards Defence Self-Reliance, Cuts Imports, Boosts Exports Traditionally heavily reliant on foreign suppliers for defence equipment, India has significantly reduced its dependence on defence imports over the last 14 years, marking a major shift in its defence strategy and policy.
India Today
11 hours ago
- India Today
Chennai-bound Air India flight returns to Mumbai after burning smell in cabin
A Chennai-bound Air India flight was forced to return to Mumbai on Friday after passengers and crew detected a burning smell inside the cabin. The airline confirmed the incident on Saturday, saying that flight AI639 made a precautionary air-return shortly after takeoff."The crew of flight AI639 operating from Mumbai to Chennai on Friday, June 27 made a precautionary air-return to Mumbai due to a burning smell in the cabin," an Air India spokesperson told the news agency flight landed safely in Mumbai, and passengers were transferred to another aircraft. "The flight landed safely back in Mumbai, and an aircraft change was initiated. Our ground colleagues in Mumbai provided all necessary support to passengers to minimise the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption," the spokesperson added. In a separate incident on the same day, Air India reported a non-specific security alert on another aircraft. The airline said that all standard security checks were carried out and the aircraft was cleared for subsequent operations, as reported by the news agency ANI."A non-specific security alert was detected on one of our aircraft. Standard security procedures were duly carried out, and the aircraft was cleared for the next flight. Air India accords top priority to the safety and security of its passengers and crew," the airline said in a Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, faced a similar disruption when flight IX2564 from Delhi to Jammu had to return to Delhi due to a technical issue mid-flight. The flight, operated by an Airbus A320, took off at 11:04 am behind its scheduled departure of 10:40 am but never reached its destination."An alternative aircraft was arranged to operate our Delhi-Jammu flight after the original aircraft returned to Delhi due to a technical issue. We regret the inconvenience caused," an Air India Express spokesperson said.- EndsWith inputs from InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Air India
