Latest news with #CliveKunder
NDTV
7 days ago
- General
- NDTV
In Air India Crash Probe Breakthrough, Data Downloaded From 'Black Boxes'
New Delhi: Information from the black boxes recovered from the June 12 Air India plane crash has been successfully downloaded and is being analysed, the governemnt said Thursday afternoon. The black boxes - a flight data recorder, or FDR, and a cockpit voice recorder, or CVR - were damaged in the crash and there were questions over the recovery of usable data. Last week sources told NDTV the governemnt may send the FDR and CVR to the United States for forensic extraction of data. However, in a big breakthrough, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has succeeded in safely extracting the Crash Protection Module, or CPM, and the memory module, and downloaded all data. The government said both boxes - one found on the rooftop of the hostel into which the plane crashed and the other from the debris - were securely transported to the AAIB lab in Delhi on Tuesday. The first black box reached the AAIB lab at 2pm. The second reached at 5.15pm. The data extraction began the same day and the process was completed by Wednesday. CVR data is expected to shed light on cockpit conversations, crew responses, and ambient sounds, while the FDR contains parameters like altitude, airspeed, flight control inputs, and engine performance. "Analysis of CVR and FDR data underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety," the government said. Tail section of AI 171 that crashed into a hostel building near Ahmedabad airport. This means we are now a (giant) step closer to understanding why AI 171, Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed 36 seconds after take-off, killing 241 people on the plane and 34 on the ground. Quesions For AI Black Box: 'What Alarms Rang?' These are some of the key questions the data should be able to answer. 1. What did Captain Sabharwal say in his distress call? The Civil Aviation Ministry said a distress call had been broadcast seconds before impact. 'Mayday, mayday...' was what Captain Sabharwal reportedly told Ahmedabad ATC. There were also reports Captain Sabharwal had flagged the loss of power and thrust as well. CVR data should reveal if he did, indeed, also say '... no power... no thrust...', which will be a key piece of evidence pushing investigators to focus on the engine as the cause for the crash. 2. What time was the message sent? The plane took off at 1.39 pm, the government has confirmed. Thirty-six seconds later it crashed. What happened in that painfully brief period? CVR data will pinpoint the exact millisecond Captain Sabharwal sent his 'mayday' message, which will establish just how much time First Officer Clive Kunder and he had to try and rescue the plane. Only one passenger - a British-Indian man seated in 11A - survived the horrific crash. It is still unclear what caused the crash but the prevailing theory - backed by audio and video of the crash that seems to show deployment of the RAT, or Ram Air Turbine, is either a dual engine malfunction or a system-wide hydraulic or electronic failure. A visual of the RAT, or Ram Air Turbine, deployed. The airline has, though, said the plane that crashed had regular safety checks and had its right engine changed less than four months earlier. The left had been inspected in April, it said. Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee is expected to convene next week to discuss safety issues in the civil aviation sector, including aircraft maintenance concerns. Government officials, airline reps, and Boeing executives have been sumoned and are expected to face tough questions, sources said. Sources had told NDTV of 'multiple shortcomings' in the aviation sector, with aircraft maintenance a matter of concern. The committee will also address frequent helicopter accidents.
Mint
20-06-2025
- General
- Mint
From final farewells to flight disruptions: A tough week for Air India post Ahmedabad crash
From final farewells to flight disruptions: A tough week for Air India post Ahmedabad crash 9 Photos . Updated: 20 Jun 2025, 01:27 PM IST The June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash stands as one of the most devastating tragedies in aviation history, claiming 241 lives onboard. As the nation continues to mourn, Air India has announced the rescheduling of several flights, signalling a tough week for the airline. 1/9The tragic Air India crash occurred on June 12, when a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft collided with a hostel complex belonging to BJ Medical College. 2/9In the recent Ahmedabad plane crash involving Air India flight AI-171, 241 of the 242 people on board tragically lost their lives. 3/9Family members and friends gathered at Sewri Christian Cemetery to bid a final farewell to Pilot Clive Kunder, who lost his life in the Air India plane crash shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. 4/9Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel pays tribute to former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani during a prayer meeting held in Gandhinagar. Rupani tragically lost his life in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. 5/9Dombivli witnessed a heartbreaking farewell as the mortal remains of air hostess Roshni Songire, who tragically perished in the recent Ahmedabad plane crash, were laid to rest. 6/9Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of the ill-fated Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, paid his final respects to his son with teary eyes outside their residence in Powai, Mumbai. 7/9Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in seat 11A on the ill-fated Air India flight to London, emerged as the sole survivor of the crash. 8/9Post the crash, Air India announced the cancellation of four international and four domestic flights, citing enhanced maintenance and operational reasons.
Kuwait Times
20-06-2025
- General
- Kuwait Times
Air India says plane ‘well-maintained' before crash
NEW DELHI: Air India's Boeing plane was 'well-maintained' before it crashed a week ago, killing all but one of 242 people on board, the airline said Thursday. Indian authorities are yet to detail what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to hurtle to the ground in the western city of Ahmedabad, where at least 38 people were also left dead. As investigators attempt to retrieve data from the plane's black boxes — the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder — the airline said that no problems were detected with the jet before the disaster. 'The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023,' Air India said in a statement. 'Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight,' the airline said. The London-bound jet burst into a fireball when it smashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad moments after takeoff. Initial checks since the crash on Air India's Dreamliners 'did not reveal any major safety concerns', the country's civil aviation regulator said Tuesday. India's aviation investigative unit said Thursday the probe was 'progressing steadily'. 'Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway,' the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said in a statement. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. The airline said Thursday the pilots were accomplished flyers. 'The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft,' it said. 'First Officer Clive Kunder, had over 3,400 hours of flying experience.' While investigators try to piece together what went wrong, families of dozens of victims are still waiting for their loved ones to be identified. As of Thursday, 210 victims have been identified through DNA testing, state health minister Rushikesh Patel said. — AFP
India Gazette
19-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"Young aviator full of promise": Air India pays tribute to First Officer Clive Kunder killed in crash
New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): Expressing grief, Air India paid heartfelt tribute to First Officer Clive Kunder, who lost his life in tragic air crash resulting in loss of 241 lives on board Air India-171 flight in Ahmedabad on June 12. In a post on X, Air India wrote, 'With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to First Officer Clive Kunder - a young aviator full of promise, a valued colleague, and a deeply cherished member of the Air India family. Clive's quiet dedication, grace, and passion for flying earned him the admiration of everyone who had the privilege of working alongside him.' 'At his prayer and funeral service, senior leaders from Tata Group and Air India stood beside his family, friends, and loved ones - to honour his memory, share in their grief, and offer strength during this incredibly difficult time,' airline added. Air India expressed condolences to Clive's family. 'In this moment of profound loss, we stand with you - in remembrance, in sorrow, and in solidarity.' Earlier on June 12, the day of the accident, Actor Vikrant Massey offered condolences and said that Kunder was his 'family friend.' On June 12, 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 the accident, an inquiry into the accident is underway, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordering enhanced safety checks on Air India's 787-8/9 Dreamliner fleet and the Tata group, the owner of Air India, along with the airline company has announced a total of Rs 1.25 crore compensation to the families of the victims. (ANI)
eNCA
19-06-2025
- General
- eNCA
Air India says plane 'well-maintained' before crash
Air India's Boeing plane was "well-maintained" before it crashed a week ago, killing all but one of 242 people on board, the airline said on Thursday. Indian authorities are yet to detail what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to hurtle to the ground in the western city of Ahmedabad a week ago. At least 38 people were killed in the residential neighbourhood that the plane hit, causing such devastation that DNA analysts are still trying to identify dozens of the dead. As investigators attempt to retrieve data from the plane's black boxes -- the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder -- the airline said no problems were detected with the jet before the disaster. "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023," Air India said in a statement. "Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight," it said. The London-bound jet burst into a fireball when it smashed down in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff. Initial checks on Air India's Dreamliners since the crash "did not reveal any major safety concerns", the country's civil aviation regulator said on Tuesday. India's aviation investigative unit said on Thursday the probe was "progressing steadily". "Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway," the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said in a statement. - 'Highly experienced pilot' - Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. The pilots were accomplished flyers, according to the airline. "The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft," it said. "First Officer Clive Kunder had over 3,400 hours of flying experience." While investigators try to piece together what went wrong, many families of victims are still waiting for their loved ones to be identified. As of Thursday evening, 215 victims have been matched through DNA testing, all but nine of them passengers, according to the civil hospital's medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi. The remains of around 15 of them have been transported by air, Joshi told journalists. Six people injured in the disaster remain in hospital, with one due to be discharged shortly while the others are in a stable condition.
