"Aviation Minister must take moral responsibility": CPI's Binoy Viswam on Ahmedabad plane crash
'What's the guarantee of the lives of passengers who pay exorbitant prices to travel by air across destinations?... Aircraft crashes are becoming a recurring phenomenon here, there, and everywhere... Every time such an incident occurs, we hear the same line from the Minister: 'An inquiry will be ordered.' But is that enough?... I believe it is the Civil Aviation Minister who should take moral responsibility... At this point, the least he can do is resign immediately. That will send a strong message... India no longer has a national carrier,' he told ANI.
'Private companies now operate all aircraft... These private operators are only interested in maximising profit, not the safety of passengers... These are not just business decisions--they are criminal acts in pursuit of profit. And these profits are shared between political bosses and private operators... The government knows--but it lacks the courage to enforce full safety regulations,' he added.
On Thursday, the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 plane bound for London's Gatwick crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad International Airport. The airline said only one out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash.
According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls.
Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter, and heavy black smoke began emanating from the accident site.
Vishwashkumar Ramesh miraculously survived the Air India plane crash a day ago, in which 241 other passengers died. Kumar, a British national of Indian origin, was seated in row 11, at the left window seat in the flight's economy class section, right behind an emergency exit.
There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board the crashed plane, airline authorities said. (ANI)
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