Ecologists concerned at parakeet numbers in Belfast park
Parakeets are native to tropical Africa and the Indian subcontinent, and are considered invasive in most regions outside their native range.
The Waterworks Park in Belfast is home to around 15 ring-necked parakeets.
Conservationists are concerned about their growing numbers as they compete with native birds like starlings and sparrows for food and nesting holes.
Chairperson of Wild Belfast, Conor McKinney, believes that something needs to be done "before it gets out of control."
The British Ornithology Trust said parakeet numbers across the UK have increased by 2000% since 1995.
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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Air India pilot's haunting plea when he left home on day of deadly crash as probe ‘confirms he turned off fuel switches'
AIR INDIA'S captain made a haunting plea as he left home on the day of the deadly crash. Sumeet Sabharwal gave an eerie message to a security guard at his Mumbai apartment complex before 8 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot of the doomed Air India flight 8 The plane seconds before disaster 8 A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, India Credit: Reuters 'Please, take care of papa. I will be back soon,' the 56-year-old pilot reportedly told guard Sunil Lokhande. It was the last thing he ever said at home before Lokhande, the security guard at Sabharwal's residence in Jal Vayu Vihar, Mumbai, recalled what can now be understood as the pilot's final goodbye. He told The Telegraph: 'I can't forget that last moment, when he ran his hand through his hair, like he always did, and said, 'How are you Mr Lokhande. Please, take care of papa, and I will be back soon.' Read more on Air India crash 'He smiled and went away. You'd never guess he carried any sadness inside.' Lokhande added: '[Sabharwal] would visit home for two or three days and take his father for an evening walk regularly. 'Buy vegetables and fruits. He would often share fruits with me and would give money to buy meals or tea.' Crash probe Now, investigators say the experienced pilot may have Most read in The Sun According to cockpit recordings, the co-pilot can be heard asking: 'Why did you cut off?' Sabharwal replied, apparently eerily calm: 'I didn't.' 'Human hand' HAD to be involved in Air India crash disaster, pilot says…as he reveals billions-to-one odds of tech fault But US investigators, reviewing flight data, say the The Boeing 787 Dreamliner plunged into a hotel housing medical students just 30 seconds after takeoff. A total of 241 passengers and crew plus 19 people on the ground were killed in the tragedy. And only Captain's personal struggles Three days before the crash, Sabharwal reportedly told his elderly dad, Pushkaraj, he was planning to resign from Air India and move home permanently to care for him. His former colleague Neil Pais told The Telegraph: 'He was actually considering early retirement in the next couple of years. 'His father is very old, and he was going to look after him full time. That was the plan.' Sabharwal had reportedly He had also separated from his wife and relocated from Dehli to Mumbai to be closer to his dad. 8 A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics 8 An image showing how the fuel cut off switches have to be deliberately 'unlocked' before being moved Veteran pilot under scrutiny Captain Sabharwal had logged over 15,000 flying hours and was known as a calm, capable flyer. He had never been involved in a major incident until Flight 171. But his mental health is now under review. Despite passing a Class I medical exam in September, The Telegraph reports that Indian investigators are probing claims he previously took leave for depression. Friends and colleagues described him as humble, gentle and intensely private. 'Human hand involved' Aviation experts say the switches used to cut off fuel are physically guarded and require deliberate manual action to move. There is no emergency scenario where both engines would be shut down after takeoff. Captain Steve Scheibner said: 'When you place both fuel cutoff switches to cut off, that will fuel-starve the engines and they'll both flame out. 'There is no universe where there's any procedure ever in the history of commercial flight where you place both fuel control switches to cut off, leave them there for 10 seconds, right after rotate.' He added there was a 8 Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College Credit: Getty 8 The Boeing 787 Dreamliner plummeted into a doctors' hostel 8 Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight Credit: Pixel8000 The seasoned pilot and respected aviation analyst, told Piers Morgan Uncensored: 'My take on it is that the aeroplane was operating exactly the way it was designed, I don't think there was anything wrong with this particular aircraft. 'Some things are plain and some things are clear, whether it was intentional, placing of the fuel control switches to cut off, or unintentional, that's two different things. 'But I really firmly believe that there had to be a human hand on both of those for them to go to cut off.' Investigation ongoing India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released a US officials believe the evidence suggests deliberate human action. Some sources claim a criminal probe may be warranted if the crash had occurred on American soil. Air India says it is cooperating fully but declined to comment on the findings. 'We continue to mourn the loss,' a spokesperson said. 'Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such enquiries to the AAIB.' Key findings of Air India preliminary crash report Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cut off', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash, the ram air turbine (RAT) which acts as a backup power source in case of emergencies had deployed Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to 'RUN' at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- RTÉ News
Air India crash investigation 'far from over' says CEO
The investigation into last month's Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad city is "far from over," CEO Campbell Wilson has said in an internal memo, adding that the airline is open to further inquiries and warned against "premature conclusions". The memo, seen by Reuters, comes after a preliminary report on Saturday showed confusion in the cockpit shortly before the Air India jetliner crashed and killed 260 people last month, after the plane's engine fuel cutoff switches flipped almost simultaneously and starved the engines of fuel. The Boeing Dreamliner bound for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff, according to the report on the world's deadliest aviation accident in a decade released by Indian accident investigators. The memo said that the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults and that all required maintenance had been carried out. The report, issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, did not offer any conclusions or apportion blame for the 12 June disaster, but indicated that one pilot asked the other why he cut off fuel, and the second pilot responded that he had not. In its 15-page report, the investigation bureau said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec". "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," it said. The aircraft quickly began to lose altitude. The switches then returned to the "RUN" position and the engines appeared to be gathering power, but "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'", the report said. Air traffic controllers asked the pilots what was wrong, but then saw the plane crashing and called emergency personnel to the scene. Last week, specialist website The Air Current, citing multiple sources familiar with the probe, reported it had "narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel switches", while noting that full analysis will "take months - if not longer". It added that "the focus of the investigators could change during that time". The Indian agency's report said that the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued an information bulletin in 2018 about "the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature". Though the concern was not considered an "unsafe condition" that would warrant a more serious directive, Air India told investigators it did not carry out suggested inspections as they were "advisory and not mandatory". One passenger survived, a British citizen who was seen walking out of the wreckage Air India was compliant with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft, the report said. The investigations bureau said there were "no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers", suggesting no technical issues with the engines (GE) or the aircraft (Boeing). The bureau said the investigation was ongoing, and that additional evidence and information has been "sought from the stakeholders". The UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation stipulates that states heading an investigation must submit a preliminary report within 30 days of an accident. US and British air accident investigators have taken part in the probe. The plane was carrying 230 passengers, 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian, along with 12 crew members. Dozens of people on the ground were injured. One passenger miraculously survived, a British citizen who was seen walking out of the wreckage of the crash, and who has since been discharged from hospital. Health officials in the Indian state of Gujarat initially said at least 279 people were killed, but forensic scientists reduced the figure after multiple scattered and badly burnt remains were identified.
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Air India pilot's mental health probed and medical records seized after fuel turned off in cockpit killing 260
CRASH investigators are said to be probing the medical records of the doomed Air India flight's Captain amid claims he suffered from mental health problems. Preliminary report into the fatal crash found the which led to a 10 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot in the doomed Air India flight 10 Officials inspect the remains of the Air India passenger plane at the crash site near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad Credit: EPA 10 One of the rear landing gears amid debris at the site of a plane crash Credit: EPA 10 The plane seconds before disaster Credit: X The Air India flight bound to London Gatwick was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was reportedly just months away from retirement. But the pilot had been considering leaving the airlines early to look after his elderly father, A leading aviation expert in India told the media outlet that Captain Sabharwal reportedly suffered from mental health issues and depression - and had taken time off in the last few years following his mum's death. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a former instructor pilot of Boeing 737, said: "I have heard from several Air India pilots who told me he had some depression and mental health issues. more on Air india crash "He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years." Although Mr Ranganathan added that Captain Sabharwal "must have been medically cleared by the company [Air India] doctors" before flying. He is understood to have taken a Class I medical exam on September 5 last year. Investigators are now said to be probing his medical records after the preliminary crash report indicated there may have been human error, although some aviation experts claim it is a case of deliberate action. Most read in The Sun Sources said the black box analysis has so far been unable to rule out 'improper, inadvertent or intentional' action that caused them to be flipped. Families of the victims who tragically died in the crash have Second-by-second breakdown of Air India jet disaster from mayday call to horror crash – all within a minute of takeoff They have dubbed the investigation "biased" and said it only appears to "blame the dead pilots". The Airline Pilots' Association of India (APAI) rejected the 'tone and direction' of the inquiry and said it came without sufficient evidence. However, India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said that investigators probed in a "mature, transparent" way. "This is a preliminary report. We want the final report to come in, so let us wait for it," he added. Early findings in the 15-page report released by the Indian authorities indicate The fuel switches were then toggled to the "RUN" position, and the engines appeared to be gathering power , but failed to stop the plane from decelerating. Key findings of the report: Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits Analysis of the cockpit voice recording revealed that one of the pilots asked: 'Why did you cut off?" To which the other pilot replied: 'I didn't." Though the report does not identify which comments were made by the flight's captain and which were made by the first officer. Nor does it "identify the cause - whether it was crew error, mechanical malfunction, or electronic failure." Flipping the switches to cut off almost immediately cuts the fuel supply to the engines. It is most often used to turn engines off once a plane has arrived at its airport gate and in certain emergency situations, such as an engine fire. But the inconclusive report, which came after 30 days of the crash, does not indicate that the flight encountered any such emergency situation. 10 A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics Credit: Getty 10 Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight Credit: Getty 10 Rear end of the aircraft after it crashed into a medical hostel It is almost impossible to turn the switches off accidentally - they must be pulled up and locked before flipping - a safety design feature that was introduced decades ago. Protective guards are further installed to minimise the risks - raising further questions as to why the fuel switches in the Air India flight were turned off. The report points out that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2018 issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) - highlighting that a few Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. But it was not deemed unsafe, and no Airworthiness Directive (AD) - a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions in a product - was issued. A similar switch design is used in Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India's VT-ANB Dreamliner in question. 10 The FAA and Boeing have now privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, according to four sources and a document seen by Reuters. The report said Air India had said it had not carried out the FAA's suggested inspections, as the FAA 2018 advisory was not a legal mandate. But it also said maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash. Experts have said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches. "If they were moved because of a pilot, why?" asked U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take-off, killing all but one passenger. 10 Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess Credit: x/mitrapredator 10 Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, poses for the first time since the disaster Credit: Dan Charity
