Family's anguished wait for news after air crash
More than 240 people were killed on Thursday when a Boeing 787 bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take off in Ahmedabad.
Faizan Rafik, 25, from the Belgrave area of the city, was believed to have been on the flight after visiting India for a week to celebrate Eid with his wife.
His brother Farhan Rafik, 22, said the family was still hoping to receive a call from him.
Farhan said: "We are all hoping he will come back, we are still hoping that from somewhere he will pick up our call and say 'I am alive and I am safe', but we are still waiting for that call."
The 22-year-old from Leicester said he and Faizan were "always together" and added people would "feel great" in his company.
He added Faizan dedicated time to charity work and was "respectful" of everyone.
There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight when it crashed.
Vishwashkumar Ramesh, also from Leicester, was the sole survivor and escaped the wreckage through an opening in the fuselage.
Live coverage of the crash aftermath
Messages deliver, bodies missing: Clinging to hope after Air India crash
What we know so far about Air India flight AI171?
What could have caused Air India plane to crash in 30 seconds?
Leicester Council of Faiths said it was "shocked" and "saddened" by the plane crash.
A spokesperson said: "With reports of casualties from the local area and the sole survivor from Leicester, and with Leicester's diverse communities having deep connections to India, this tragedy has affected many here.
"We stand together in grief and in mourning for those who have lost their lives."
Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
Hunt for black box continues as grieving Air India crash families wait for answers
What we know so far after Air India flight to London crashes in Ahmedabad
Who are the victims of the Air India plane crash?
What could have caused Air India plane to crash in 30 seconds?
Doctor and family among Air India crash victims
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Epoch Times
3 days ago
- Epoch Times
No Mechanical Issue With Boeing 787 Fuel Control Units: FAA Chief
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said July 24 that the agency is confident there was no mechanical issue with Boeing's fuel control system following a crash near Ahmedabad in June that killed 260 people. Air India Flight AI171 was en route to London Gatwick when it crashed into a medical college hostel near the Indian state of Gujarat on June 12. The flight was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
NBC News
3 days ago
- NBC News
FAA sees no mechanical issue with 787 Boeing fuel control unit after Air India crash
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday the fatal crash last month of an Air India Boeing BA.N 787 jet does not appear to have been caused by a mechanical issue or inadvertent movement of the fuel control unit or switches. 'We can say with a high level of confidence is it doesn't appear to be a mechanical issue with the Boeing fuel control unit,' Bryan Bedford, the FAA's administrator, told reporters on the sidelines of an air show in Wisconsin. He said FAA employees had taken the units out, tested them and had inspectors get on aircraft and review them. 'We feel very comfortable that this isn't an issue with inadvertent manipulation of fuel control,' he said. The probe into the Air India crash, which killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground, is focused on the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787 jetliner. Boeing and Air India did not immediately comment. The switches control fuel flow to aircraft engines, allowing pilots to start or shut them down on the ground, or manually intervene during in-flight engine failures. Air India said on Tuesday it has completed precautionary inspections of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on all 787 and 737 aircraft, with no issues detected. A preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau earlier this month found the switches had almost simultaneously flipped from 'run' to 'cutoff' shortly after takeoff, causing the engines to lose power. Reuters reported last week, citing a source, that the cockpit recording on the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick suggested the captain cut fuel to the engines. that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes were safe.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Associated Press
School roof collapse in western India kills 7 children and injures at least 21
NEW DELHI (AP) — The roof of a government middle school building collapsed Friday in India's western state of Rajasthan, killing 7 children and injuring at least 21, a senior police official said. The collapse occurred soon after the students had reached their classrooms and were about to start the school assembly, said police official Amit Kumar. It is still unclear what caused the roof to collapse. The school, located in Piplod village of Jhalawar district, has students studying up to eighth grade, or what is called a middle school in India. A total of around 35 students were present when the roof collapsed. All seven fatalities were students from seventh and eighth grade, Kumar said. The injured have been transported to two local hospitals for treatment. The office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lamented the accident in a social media post, calling it 'tragic' and 'deeply saddening.' 'My thoughts are with the affected students and their families in this difficult hour,' the statement read, adding that authorities are providing 'all possible assistance.' ____ AP's India coverage:
