Latest news with #AirIndia
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Focus on aviation safety brings smoking on flights under scrutiny
KOCHI: Renewed scrutiny of aviation safety, following the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, has shone the light on a concerning trend: Frequent incidents of passengers smoking inside planes, particularly in lavatories. According to police, there has been an increase in recent months of incidents involving passengers caught smoking on board overseas flights. In just the past two weeks, two passengers were detained for smoking on flights arriving in Kochi from Gulf countries. Officers of Nedumbassery police station said that at least six such cases have been registered in the last one year. The latest incident took place on June 15, when a passenger from Chalakudy was caught smoking in the lavatory of a Dubai-Kochi SpiceJet flight. Airport security officials detained the man and handed him over to local police. A case was registered under Section 118(e) of the Kerala Police Act for public nuisance and endangerment, and Sections 4 and 21 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) for smoking in prohibited areas. Last month, a similar offence was reported involving a Thrissur passenger travelling from Dubai. 'In recent months, we have been receiving frequent reports of passengers caught smoking on board, mostly in lavatories,' said Rajesh T R, deputy superintendent of police, Aluva. 'Smoking on flights is strictly prohibited due to the threat it poses to passengers and safety. Many offenders use e-cigarettes, assuming these won't be detected. Since these products are more accessible in foreign countries, passengers often carry and use them mid-flight. Though the offence is bailable, we do file a charge sheet and the accused must face trial,' he said.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- General
- Business Standard
Air India crash probe: India permits ICAO expert to join as observer
India has decided to grant observer status to an expert from the United Nations aviation body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), in the investigation into the deadly Air India crash that occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, news agency PTI reported. The ICAO had earlier sought observer status for its expert, which is not a common practice. Following internal deliberations, Indian authorities accepted the request. 'The Indian authorities are approaching the probe in a transparent manner,' an official said, as quoted by the report. According to the ICAO website, aircraft accident investigations are conducted in line with Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, which outlines the procedures and international standards — known as Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) — aimed at ensuring consistency and safety in global aviation. Air India crash in Ahmedabad The crash, one of the worst air disasters in India in decades, involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Air India flight AI 171. The aircraft was en route to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed into a medical hostel complex in Ahmedabad's Meghani Nagar area shortly after takeoff. Of the 242 people onboard, 241 were killed, with only one survivor. The total death toll stood at 270, including casualties on the ground. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) launched a probe after the tragedy and constituted a multidisciplinary team on June 13. The team includes representatives from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an air traffic control officer, and an aviation medicine specialist. Black box analysis underway The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed on Thursday that data is being retrieved from the aircraft's black boxes. Both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) are under analysis as part of efforts to determine the cause of the crash. Parliament committee summons top officials Parliament's Transport Committee has summoned officials from Boeing as well as India's Civil Aviation Secretary, The Economic Times reported. The committee, led by Rajya Sabha MP and JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, aims to scrutinise the incident in detail, including the procurement process of the Boeing 787-8 and its suitability for Air India's operations. The panel will also hold discussions with key stakeholders such as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India. Tata promises long-term family support Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced on Thursday that Tata Sons and Tata Trusts would jointly establish a dedicated trust to offer long-term assistance to families of those who lost their lives in the accident. The move is seen as part of Tata Group's broader humanitarian response, given its ownership of Air India. (With agency inputs)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Air India venture sacks four employees over viral celebration video
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): Air India SATS Services (AISATS) has expressed regret and taken disciplinary action against four senior employees, asking them to resign following a viral video showing its employees dancing and celebrating at the office, allegedly after the fatal Air India AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad. The incident has drawn significant attention, with the company subsequently issuing a statement to address the matter. A video recently went viral on social media, showing AISATS employees partying in the workplace. However, the date has not been specified; it might have been shot days after the Air India AI 171 crash. On Friday, AISATS released a statement that said, 'At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with the families affected by the tragic loss of AI 171 and deeply regret the lapse in judgment reflected in a recent internal video. The behaviour does not align with our values, and firm disciplinary action has been taken against those responsible as we reaffirm our commitment to empathy, professionalism, and accountability.' The AISATS spokesperson further stated, 'Firm disciplinary action has been taken against those responsible as we reaffirm our commitment to empathy, professionalism, and accountability.' This decisive action underscores the company's dedication to maintaining high standards of conduct within its workforce. According to sources, four senior employees of Air India's airport gateway services provider, AISATS, have been told to resign after a video showing employees partying in the workplace went viral on social media. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Lab in New Delhi, is currently working intensively to examine data retrieved from the black boxes of Air India Flight AI-171, which crashed in Ahmedabad earlier this month. The crash occurred on June 12, when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, The tragedy claimed 241 lives out of 242 onboard, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. (ANI)
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Air India venture sacks four employees over viral celebration video
Air India SATS Services (AISATS) expressed regret and took disciplinary action against four senior employees, asking them to resign following a viral video showing its employees dancing and celebrating at the office, allegedly days after the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The incident has drawn significant attention, with the company subsequently issuing a statement to address the matter. A video recently went viral on social media, showing AISATS employees partying in the office. However, the date has not been specified. On Friday (June 27, 2025), AISATS released a statement that said, 'At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with the families affected by the tragic loss of AI 171 and deeply regret the lapse in judgment reflected in a recent internal video. The behaviour does not align with our values, and firm disciplinary action has been taken against those responsible as we reaffirm our commitment to empathy, professionalism and accountability.' Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Lab in New Delhi, is working to examine data retrieved from the black boxes of Air India Flight AI-171. The crash occurred on June 12, when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, The tragedy claimed 241 lives out of 242 onboard.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Last victim identified in Air India Flight 171 crash; death toll reaches 260
Ahmedabad: The last body of a passenger who was killed in the June 12 Air India plane crash, with 242 people on board, was identified on Friday night, taking the death toll from the plane crash to 260. The body of the deceased, a resident from Kutch, was handed over to his relatives late on Saturday night. (Reuters) All the remains found from the Air India Flight 171 crash site in Ahmedabad have been identified using DNA matching or facial recognition, barring one case, Gujarat health department officials had said on Tuesday. 'The last body, of a passenger, was identified on Saturday night using DNA matching. The overall death toll from the plane crash is 260, including 19 non-passengers,' superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Rakesh Joshi said, adding no new remains have been recovered from the site in the last few days. The body of the deceased, a resident from Kutch, was handed over to his relatives late on Saturday night, an official said. So far, 253 victims were identified through DNA testing, while six were identified through facial recognition. Also Read: HT explains: How compensation is determined for air crash victims The London-bound Air India Dreamliner aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12 from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, emerged as the lone survivor. The impact devastated the residential block of a nearby medical college, claiming several lives on the ground. A total of 318 body parts were recovered from the crash site at Meghaninagar, a senior police official said. Additional chief secretary of the health and family welfare department Dhananjay Dwivedi told HT that as many as 250 relatives of the deceased, including non-passengers, gave DNA samples for identification. He said that while the DNA samples of the relatives of the victims were collected at Ahmedabad Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the DNA matching was conducted at FSL Gandhinagar and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU). A DNA matching process such as this typically takes months. But in the case of the AI 171 crash, identification of viable samples was completed in about two weeks. DNA sampling for forensic identification follows two primary approaches. The first method involves collecting samples from fresh blood, while the second method requires collecting samples from deceased individuals' remains, demanding greater precision and careful handling to prevent contamination. Also Read: Air India crash: 32 bodies identified, 14 handed over to kin 'The DNA extraction process begins with careful sample preparation. Bone samples are meticulously ground into a fine powder, while tooth samples are first broken into small fragments before being similarly powdered. This is crucial for maximising DNA yield from these challenging biological materials,' said head of the centre of excellence in DNA Forensics at the NFSU Bhargav Patel said. The powdered samples then undergo precise heat treatment using specialised equipment. This process breaks down cellular structures to release the DNA while keeping the genetic material intact. After extraction, the DNA goes through strict quality checks. The scientists then create multiple copies of the genetic material through amplification. The double-stranded DNA is then carefully separated into individual strands and processed through advanced sequencing equipment to create a complete DNA profile. Patel said that his team of 32 scientists and PhD scholars handled more than 150 DNA samples from deceased individuals of the plane crash for matching purposes, successfully identifying over 125 bodies.
