Air India investigators probing whether deadly plane crash was 'sabotage'
Air India investigators are probing whether the tragic plane crash that killed 241 people onboard and 19 on the ground earlier this month could have been caused by sabotage.
Only one passenger, British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash on June 12, which happened shortly after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad in western India. The plane, with 52 Brits on board, was bound for London Gatwick.
An investigation was immediately launched after the tragedy - and the Indian government has now revealed investigators are looking into sabotage as a possible cause. Murlidhar Mohol, the country's Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said: "The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun a full probe. It is being assessed from all angles, including any possible sabotage."
There has previously been speculation of potential sabotage, but this is the first time officials have formally acknowledged they are looking into it as a possible cause of the crash. On Thursday, the country's civil aviation ministry said investigators had begun analysing data extracted from the black boxes of the plane. The data is crucial as it will help shed light on the cause of the crash.
"These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences," the ministry said. The probe is being carried out by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, or AAIB, with support from the US National Transport Safety Board.
Indian investigators recovered the black boxes from the wreckage site a couple of days after the crash. These boxes - which are typically orange, not black - are considered the most important pieces of forensic evidence following a plane crash. There are typically two sturdy devices, the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder.
The black boxes were flown from Ahmedabad to the national capital, New Delhi, in an Indian Air Force aircraft amid tight security early this week. The investigation could take weeks or months.
In addition to the investigation, the Indian government has also set up a separate, high-level committee to examine the causes leading to the crash and formulate procedures to prevent and handle aircraft emergencies in the future.
The committee is expected to file a preliminary report within three months. Following the crash, Indian authorities ordered deeper checks of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner to prevent future incidents. The airline has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet.
Inspection has been completed for at least 26, while four were undergoing long-term maintenance. The rest were expected to finish the safety checks soon.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
24 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Bob Vylan claim they are being ‘targeted' for speaking up about Palestine
Bob Vylan claim they are being 'targeted' for speaking up about Palestine They were criticised after leading chants of "Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)" during a livestreamed performance at the Somerset music festival Bob Vylan (Image: PA ) Punk rap duo Bob Vylan have said they are being "targeted for speaking up" after police began an investigation into comments made during their set at the Glastonbury Festival. They were criticised after leading chants of "Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)" during a livestreamed performance at the Somerset music festival on Saturday afternoon. The BBC apologised after the set at the West Holts Stage was livestreamed, saying on Monday describing the chants were "antisemitic sentiments" that were "unacceptable". Bobby Vylan, one half of the British duo, also led his audience in chants that included "Free, free Palestine". Posting a statement on Instagram on Tuesday, captioned "Silence is not an option", the group said: "Today, a good many people would have you believe a punk band is the number one threat to world peace. "Last week it was a Palestine pressure group. The week before that it was another band." Article continues below Bob Vylan performed on the West Holts Stage slot directly before Irish rap trip Kneecap, whose member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence. Kneecap also led the Glastonbury audience in "Free Palestine" chants, and on Monday Avon and Somerset Police said it had launched a probe into both performances after reviewing video footage and audio recordings. The Bob Vylan statement continued: "We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. "We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use "unnecessary lethal force" against innocent civilians waiting for aid. "A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza." The statement added: "We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. "We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction. "The Government doesn't want us to ask why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity? To ask why they aren't doing more to stop the killing? To feed the starving? "The more time they talk about Bob Vylan the less time they spend answering for their criminal inaction. "We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first, we will not be the last, and if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up too." Avon and Somerset Police said it had launched a probe into both the Bob Vylan and Kneecap performances, with a senior detective appointed to lead the investigation. A force spokesman said: "This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage. "The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes." The BBC has faced strong criticism for continuing to livestream the Bob Vylan performance on iPlayer with on-screen warnings about discriminatory language. It has since been revealed that BBC director-general Tim Davie was at Glastonbury when the pro-Palestine chants were broadcast. A BBC spokesperson said: "The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage." Bob Vylan have now been banned from the US, where they were due to tour in autumn with performances in Chicago, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau said the duo's visas were revoked for their "hateful tirade at Glastonbury". Article continues below Bobby Vylan is the stage name of Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports, while his bandmate drummer uses the alias Bobbie Vylan. The group was formed in Ipswich in 2017, and are known for addressing political issues in their albums including racism, masculinity and class. The group are expected to perform at Radar Festival in Manchester on Saturday and at the Boardmasters surfing and music festival in Newquay, Cornwall in August.
Metro
31 minutes ago
- Metro
Major health update on toddler who was hurled onto floor at Moscow airport
A toddler who was bodyslammed to the ground by a thug at an international airport has opened his eyes after more than a week. Shocking CCTV footage of the attack at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on June 23 showed the 18-month-old leaning against a suitcase. Suddenly, Belarusian Vladimir Vitkov, 31, a nuclear power plant construction worker, picked up and hurled little Yazdan on the ground. After a brief spasm, the boy, named Yazdan, becomes motionless as someone picks him up in their arms to keep him safe. The tot had arrived in Russia minutes earlier after he and his mother fled the bombing in Iran, according to local reports. Local media have now said Yazdan has opened his eyes and is breathing on his own, but is still in intensive care. His father, Mohammed Shahim, said yesterday: 'Two hours ago, he was disconnected from the ventilator. Doctors say that he will remain in intensive care until tomorrow. 'He regained consciousness, opened his eyes, but is not saying anything yet. I am here every second, I am with him 24/7.' Chief physician at Moscow's L.M. Roshal Children's Clinical Centre, Tatyana Shapovalenko, said: 'The child was extubated, meaning that the boy is now breathing on his own with a high flow of oxygen.' 31-year-old Vitkov remains in custody and has reportedly refused to apologise to Yazdan's family. Yazdan's father, Mohammed, said: 'He is not a man, he is Satan, he is Shaitan. He mocked us: me, my wife.' Vitkov was reportedly high on drugs and told the police he was a schizophrenia patient. The Belarusian was reported by some outlets to have been on the same flight as the child and his mother, who were escaping from Iran, where they had been visiting relatives. Initial reports found he was returning home through Moscow after failing a drug and alcohol check for a job in Egypt. Vitkov later confessed to being high on drugs when he threw the toddler head-first onto the ground. In police discussions, Vitkov seemingly confessed to the crime when asked to explain what he did. More Trending He told an officer: 'I attempted to murder a child… at Sheremetyevo Airport.' When asked what his motive was, Vitkov said he 'didn't know' because he was 'under the influence of drugs'. Reports said cannabis had been found in his possession, and there were traces of the drug in his blood. Mash news outlet reported today that he had drunk three bottles of whisky and obtained cannabis in Cairo before the incident. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Boy, 15, stabbed to death with hunting knife by fellow pupil during lunch break MORE: British volunteer who died 'fighting bravely' for Ukraine given final farewell MORE: Three arrested on suspicion of manslaughter at hospital where Lucy Letby worked
Leader Live
43 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Wimbledon organisers happy with security measures after Yulia Putintseva issue
World number 33 Putintseva complained directly to the umpire about a man, whom she described as 'dangerous' and 'crazy', during her 6-0 6-0 first-round defeat to Amanda Anisimova. The PA news agency understands the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) is happy with safety protocols at the tournament and does not plan to make any changes in the wake of the incident. During a change of ends when trailing 3-0 in the opening set of Monday's match on Court 15, Putintseva said: 'Can you take him out? I am not going to continue playing until he leaves. These people are dangerous, they are crazy.' The 30-year-old Kazakh player, who did not speak to the media after her loss, described the person as wearing green. Umpire Fabio Souza came down from his chair and spoke to three members of security staff. 'Take him out, because maybe he has a knife and he will attack,' added Putintseva, when told play would resume. Putintseva was later pictured in tears during a contest which lasted just 44 minutes. An AELTC spokesperson said: 'Following a complaint about the behaviour of a spectator at the match on Court 15, the chair umpire informed security and the matter was dealt with.' American opponent Anisimova told the BBC she believed the spectator had been saying something 'when (Putintseva) was about to serve' and added: 'I am sure that we were protected'. Player safety was in the spotlight in the run up to Wimbledon. The man given a restraining order for stalking British number one Emma Raducanu was caught trying to obtain tickets for this summer's championship when his name was flagged by the All England Club's security system. Meanwhile, British number two Katie Boulter revealed she had received death threats as she highlighted the scale of abuse aimed at tennis players online.
