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News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Vidya Malavade On Losing Husband In 2000 Plane Tragedy: 'Air India Crash Brought It Back'
Last Updated: Vidya Malavade remembers her first husband Captain Arvind Singh Bagga on his 25th death anniversary. The actor says the recent Air India crash reopened memories of his death. Before she became a beloved face on the silver screen, Vidya Malavade had already faced the kind of heartbreak few can imagine. On the 25th death anniversary of her first husband, Captain Arvind Singh Bagga, the actor took to Instagram to share a deeply moving note about love, loss, and lingering memories that refuse to fade—even with the passage of time. '25 years of not looking into your eyes, touching your face, holding you, talking nonstop nonsense, driving you nuts, laughing with you, crying in your arms, & feeling 'safe'," she wrote, adding poignantly, 'Some connects live life after. Rest in peace, my beloved." Captain Arvind was flying Alliance Air Flight 7412 when it crashed in Patna in July 2000, taking his life and that of many others. At the time, Vidya was just 27 years old and only three years into their marriage. The tragedy left an indelible impact on her life—a shadow of grief that still follows her today, albeit one she now meets with grace and gratitude. Referencing the tragic Air India crash on June 12, which claimed over 240 lives near Ahmedabad airport, Vidya revealed how the recent incident stirred painful memories. 'The crash on 12th June hit where it hurts the most…& even though I may be forgetful…those memories, every single detail still so fresh in my mind…including how I FELT at what moment." Despite the immense loss, Vidya shared how Arvind's passing taught her to cherish the fleeting nature of existence. 'A lifetime of unanswered questions! & even though I live life with no regrets… sometimes you miss someone for the way they made you feel… just makes us realise how fragile… precious & unpredictable life is… hold our dear ones close." Her reflections carry the weight of someone who has not only survived tragedy but also chosen to live with purpose. 'The only thing that really helped me is to live life in complete surrender & gratitude! It's the way the most bitter lessons turn into blessings," she wrote, affirming her belief that Arvind remains close by. 'He's still my guardian angel… my guiding light." In a heartfelt tribute, Vidya captioned her post with lyrics from the iconic Celine Dion ballad: 'My heart will go on .. with all the love you have poured in to it…Forever.. & our favourite song at the time." Today, Vidya is married to director Sanjay Dayma, whom she wed in 2009. Her journey from tragedy to triumph has seen her rise as a respected actor, beginning with her debut in Inteha in 2003 and finding widespread recognition in Chak De! India opposite Shah Rukh Khan in 2007. More recently, she has appeared in the film Sangee and the popular web series Mismatched. First Published: July 17, 2025, 17:09 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
17-06-2025
- General
- News18
13 Air India Crashes, 1,200+ Deaths: The One Deadly Mistake Found In Every Tragedy
Last Updated: The Air India crash on June 12 joins a grim chronicle of deadly air crashes over the past five decades - each one a brutal reminder that the skies have not always been safe The Air India plane crash that took place on June 12, 2025, in the skies over Ahmedabad has once again thrown the aviation safety protocols into serious question. Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner headed for London, crashed into a densely populated residential area just minutes after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 38 on the ground. Only one passenger survived. The sheer scale of the devastation has reignited public outrage and raised old, haunting questions; Was it a sudden technical failure or human error? Or is there a deeper, systemic rot in the aviation safety net? While the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is yet to release its final report, preliminary signals hint at a technical fault. Experts from the US and UK have joined the investigation, with the recovered black box offering critical data. But this tragedy is not an isolated incident. Rather, it joins a grim chronicle of deadly air crashes over the past five decades – each one a brutal reminder that the skies have not always been safe. Here is a look back at some of the darkest air disasters involving Air India and its subsidiaries, each peeling back the layers of misjudgment, mechanical failure, and institutional apathy: 1. Ahmedabad | June 12, 2025: Crash Into Medical Building, 279 Dead Flight AI-171 had barely lifted off before it plunged into a crowded neighbourhood. The crash not only incinerated all but one passenger but also claimed dozens of lives on the ground. Investigations are ongoing, but early signs point to possible technical malfunction. 2. Kozhikode | August 7, 2020: Runway Overrun, 21 Dead 3. Mangalore | May 22, 2010: Overshot Runway, 158 Dead Flight IX-812 from Dubai failed to stop on Mangalore's precarious tabletop runway. Investigators revealed the captain ignored repeated warnings from the co-pilot to abort the landing. Fatigue and misjudgment were central to the disaster. 4. Patna | July 17, 2000: Crash Into A Slum, 60 Dead Alliance Air Flight 7412 stalled midair during landing and crashed into a residential colony. The pilot had taken an incorrect approach. Investigators blamed poor training and the dangerous proximity of dense population zones near the airport. 5. Aurangabad | April 26, 1993: Collision With Truck On Runway, 55 Dead Indian Airlines Flight 491 hit a truck that was inexplicably on the runway during takeoff. The fatal lapse in ground traffic management shocked aviation regulators. This incident spotlighted the chaos that can exist beyond the cockpit. 6. Imphal | August 16, 1991: Crash During Descent, 69 Dead Indian Airlines Flight 257 crashed into a hill as it prepared to land. The pilot had miscalculated altitude in poor visibility. A tragic case of overconfidence and flawed judgment. 7. Bangalore | February 14, 1990: Premature Landing, 92 Dead Flight 605, an Airbus A320, hit the ground short of the runway while approaching HAL Airport. The cause was alleged unfamiliarity with the cockpit layout of the newly inducted Airbus, leading to a botched landing. 8. Ahmedabad | October 19, 1988: Descent Into Trees, 133 Dead Indian Airlines Flight 113 collided with trees during its final approach in low visibility. Pilot miscalculation, along with failure of the air traffic control to provide accurate weather updates, sealed the fate of almost everyone onboard. 9. Mumbai | June 21, 1982: Crash During Storm, 17 Dead Flight 403 crashed while landing during a monsoon deluge at Sahar Airport. Pilots struggled with visibility, and the aircraft veered off the runway. 10. Mumbai | January 1, 1978: Into The Arabian Sea, 213 Dead Flight 855, a Boeing 747, nosedived into the sea shortly after takeoff. Investigators said the captain was misled by faulty instruments and became spatially disoriented. It remains one of the worst aviation disasters in history. 11. Mumbai | October 12, 1976: Engine Fire Mid-Air, 95 Dead Indian Airlines Flight 171 was engulfed in flames shortly after takeoff. The fire started due to a malfunction in the fuel system and rapidly spread, leaving no survivors. 12. Delhi | May 31, 1973: Crash into Power Lines, 48 Dead Flight 440 crashed into electrical wires near Palam Airport. Pilots made a risky approach during a thunderstorm and visibility was near zero. Another case of poor weather judgment and lack of updated landing protocols. 13. Meghamalai | December 9, 1971: Crash Into Hills, 31 Dead An Indian Airlines Avro HS-748 failed to navigate through dense fog and crashed into the mountains of Meghamalai. Navigational missteps in treacherous weather proved fatal. top videos View all From cockpit miscalculations to poorly managed runways and inadequate infrastructure, the thread running through all these tragedies is disturbingly consistent. Each plane crash has brought with it a fresh wave of grief, investigations, and promises of reform; yet fundamental flaws persist. What makes the June 2025 Ahmedabad plane crash particularly painful is not just the scale of loss, but the deja vu of it all. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 17, 2025, 16:25 IST News india 13 Air India Crashes, 1,200+ Deaths: The One Deadly Mistake Found In Every Tragedy
The Print
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Ahmedabad Air India crash isn't a problem of privatisation. Govt-run aviation is no better
We don't really know why Flight 171 crashed, so it is premature to claim this resulted from cost-cutting or to blame 'systemic failures' as businessman Sabeer Bhatia has done. Yet critics are wasting no time in summoning the neoliberalism bogeyman . This knee-jerk reaction reveals more about ideological bias than genuine concern for passenger safety. However, a close look at India's aviation history over the past 25 years reveals that this narrative is more fiction than fact. Since 2000, India has seen four significant airline crashes. Three of these disasters occurred under government ownership: Alliance Air Flight 7412 in 2000 (pilot error), Air India Express Flight 812 in 2010 (pilot error after runway overshoot), and Air India Express Flight 1344 in 2020 (runway overshoot in bad weather). Only Air India Flight 171 happened under private ownership, after the Tata Group acquired Air India in 2022. These State-owned airline crashes were attributed to specific operational factors like pilot error and adverse weather conditions. No one suggested that government ownership itself created safety risks or that bureaucratic inefficiency compromised passenger safety. Any tragedy involving air travel inevitably becomes an opportunity for critics to push ideological agendas, particularly those sceptical of privatisation. The crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad is no exception. The London-bound flight is one of India's deadliest aviation disasters in decades. Yet before investigators could even analyse the recovered black box, critics immediately blamed the tragedy on privatisation, citing 'profit over safety' concerns. The breathtaking irony here is that the loudest voices condemning privatisation conveniently ignore the grim legacy of government-run aviation: Three catastrophic crashes and countless ignored warnings since 2000. They remain conspicuously silent when bureaucratic lethargy and political apathy claim lives, but seize upon the first tragedy under private ownership as incontrovertible proof of market villainy. Despite these ideological distractions, the broader truth remains unmistakable: Air travel, especially in India, remains remarkably safe. Billions of passengers have travelled across India over the last 25 years with only four crashes, an impressive safety record by any standard. Ultimately, if financial pressures genuinely threaten passenger safety, the real culprit is government policy rather than corporate greed. Also read: Why do airplanes still crash? The real safety threat Socialist critics conveniently ignore that if financial pressure truly compromises safety, then government policies are the biggest culprit. Indian airlines operate under crushing regulatory and fiscal burdens that squeeze margins to dangerous levels. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) faces punitive taxation that cripples airline operations. As of mid-2025, ATF is hit by 11 per cent central excise duty plus up to 30 per cent state VAT. Since ATF remains excluded from GST, these taxes cascade, meaning fuel taxes often exceed 35 per cent of the base cost. This makes India one of the most expensive markets globally for airline fuel costs, which account for up to 45 per cent of an airline's operating expenses. Add to this the maze of regulatory compliance costs, suboptimal slot policies, and threats of pricing interference, and you have a government-created environment where airlines struggle to maintain healthy cash flows. If the 'profit over safety' theory held any water, these government-imposed financial pressures would be the primary safety risk. Yet somehow, private airlines operating under these same punitive conditions maintain better safety records than the government airlines that had none of these competitive pressures. This reveals the fundamental flaw in the socialist argument: Profit motive doesn't threaten safety; operational excellence and accountability under private ownership actually enhance it. Also read: Don't let Ahmedabad crash become Air India's death knell. It'll hurt Brand India The infrastructure challenge These crashes also expose deeper problems with State-managed aviation infrastructure that go beyond individual airline operations. Patna Airport obstructions: While the Alliance Air crash in 2000 was caused by pilot error, it prompted safety investigations that revealed serious infrastructure problems at Patna airport. The DGCA identified 101 obstructions, including trees that reduced the effective runway length, which made it one of the most dangerous airports in the country. The Bihar government flat-out refused to cut the trees causing the obstruction, forcing airlines to operate with drastically reduced passenger loads. It took 12 years and the threat of a complete airport shutdown before they even cut a single tree. The government's apathy was staggering—they preferred risking airport closure over basic tree removal, despite knowing passengers' lives were at stake. Even after finally acting, lapses in pruning periodically persist till today. The airport operated without a valid license for years due to these unresolved obstructions. This pattern reveals a chronic inability to maintain basic safety protocols. Tree obstruction and other safety hazards persist even two decades after the fatal accident, showing exactly how bureaucratic dysfunction compromises aviation infrastructure. The Mangaluru runway extension: The Mangaluru crash exposed another critical infrastructure failure. Immediately after the 2010 crash that killed 158 people, the aviation ministry promised the runway would be extended by 1,000 metres to make it safer for aircraft operations. More than 14 years later, this extension still hasn't happened. When asked to fund runway safety improvements after 158 deaths, the Karnataka government refused, explicitly stating, 'There is no direct revenue benefit from the airport to the state.' Meanwhile, the Airports Authority of India claimed 'shortage of funds' while investing elsewhere. What makes this worse is that AAI has been investing in ghost airports, which have had zero passengers for months, while refusing to fund safety improvements where 158 people died. The Karnataka government's pattern of choosing money over safety is consistent. The mandatory 'safety basic strip' recommended by the DGCA also remains unimplemented. After the airport was privatised in 2021, the Airports Authority sought 32.97 acres for required safety buffers. But the Karnataka government again refused to provide land free of cost, arguing the private operator should pay. Twice, the same government has explicitly prioritised financial considerations over passenger safety—the exact behaviour socialists falsely attribute to private companies. The contrast is staggering: unlimited funds for vanity projects with zero passengers, but 'shortage of funds' for safety measures after mass casualties. The Calicut 'murder': The 2020 Calicut crash is perhaps the most damning example of government negligence. This wasn't just 'challenging weather conditions'—this was a preventable disaster at an airport that aviation experts had been warning about for nearly a decade. The DGCA itself had designated Calicut as a 'critical airfield' and 'unsafe' for wet weather operations. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a member of the Ministry of Civil Aviation's safety advisory committee, had warned in 2011 that the airport's tabletop runway design, inadequate buffer zones (90m instead of the recommended 240m), and lack of safety systems made it dangerous. The airport had multiple cracks in runways, pools of stagnant water, and excessive rubber deposits. The DGCA had even issued a show-cause notice in 2019 after finding these hazards. Yet nothing was done. The warnings were ignored for years, and as Ranganathan said after the crash, 'In my opinion, it is not an accident but a murder.' The government's failure to follow through on basic safety infrastructure improvements—despite multiple tragedies and expert warnings—speaks volumes about the sluggish pace of State-led safety initiatives. Private airport operators face the same regulatory constraints, but they have stronger incentives to navigate these challenges proactively rather than wait for tragedies to force action. Inter-governmental coordination affecting aviation safety infrastructure is a recurring theme across many Indian airports—and it's a problem that government ownership of airlines cannot solve, because the airlines themselves don't control the airports. Also read: Pilots flying your planes are stressed, sleep-deprived. 'It wasn't as intense earlier, now it's chaos' Market forces drive safety The impeccable safety record of private airlines like IndiGo demonstrates that market-driven safety improvements and accountability surpass government management. IndiGo operates over 1,800 flights daily and has carried hundreds of millions of passengers without a single fatal accident. When SpiceJet faced safety incidents in 2022, 44 per cent of domestic air passengers started avoiding the airline—market discipline worked exactly as it should. Airlines that crash don't stay in business, creating immediate consequences that government monopolies never faced. India's aviation safety record demonstrates that air travel remains very safe when you consider the scale. Over the past 25 years, Indian airlines have operated millions of flights carrying billions of passengers. Four accidents over this period, in a country with challenging weather conditions, diverse topography, and rapidly expanding air traffic, show that aviation safety has been maintained despite massive growth. Compare this to road transport in India—the contrast is stark. This safety record across India's aviation sector shows that market-driven aviation works. Evidence-based safety policy Real safety improvements come from understanding the complete picture: Infrastructure coordination failures between government agencies, policy pressures that squeeze airline margins, and market forces that reward operational excellence. The evidence shows that government apathy, willful negligence, and State-imposed financial pressures create the very risks that critics falsely attribute to privatisation. Meanwhile, market accountability ensures immediate consequences for safety lapses through passenger avoidance, massive compensation payouts, and catastrophic aircraft losses—incentives that simply didn't exist under government monopoly. It's easy and tempting to cast private airlines as villains to satisfy ideological biases, but tragedies deserve sober analysis, not sensationalism. Critics circling this tragedy are doing a disservice to the victims and their families by peddling predetermined narratives instead of waiting for facts. We should wait for the investigation to conclude, examine the actual causes, and have an honest conversation about aviation safety based on data, not dogma. The victims of Flight 171 deserve better than the lazy, predictable scapegoating of privatisation. Ajay Mallareddy is co-founder of Hyderabad-based Centre for Liberty and the spokesperson for the Libertarian party of India. His X handle is @IndLibertarians. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
NDTV
16-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
Air India Plane Crash Reminds Of Patna's 2000 Aviation Tragedy
The tragic Air India crash in which at least 274 people were killed in Ahmedabad last week brought back the memories of another aviation disaster that rocked the country 25 years ago. As rescue teams pulled out charred bodies and burnt luggage from the London-bound Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 on June 12, India was reminded of the July 17, 2000, crash when Alliance Air Flight 7412 plummeted into Gardanibagh in Patna. Alliance Air Crash 2000 The flight was nearing Patna Airport with 58 people on board. The aircraft, a Boeing 737, had taken off from Kolkata and was scheduled to land in Delhi via Patna. As it approached Runway 25, it became clear something was off. The plane was too high for a safe descent. The pilots requested a 360-degree turn to correct their approach, a standard move under such circumstances. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft was flying too slow, with idle engines and a sharply pitched-up nose. The stall warning, a vibrating "stick shaker", activated, signalling an imminent loss of lift. Instead of performing standard stall recovery, the pilots attempted a go-around. It was too late. The plane lost control mid-air, dipped violently, and crashed into the crowded Gardanibagh colony. Two houses were flattened. Fire and smoke consumed the area within seconds. Seven passengers were rescued alive from the rear of the aircraft. Four of them later died. Experienced Pilots The cockpit had veterans in command. Captain Arvind Singh Bagga, 31, had logged over 4,000 flying hours. His co-pilot, Captain Manjit Singh Sohanpal, 35, was equally experienced. The experience wasn't enough. The final inquiry concluded that the crew misjudged the approach, reacted too slowly, and fatally mishandled the stall. The official cause was human error. At least 60 people were killed. This included locals crushed beneath the falling fuselage. Where The Plane Fell, A Haunted School Now Stands Today, the crash site is barely recognisable. A government girls' school sits on the land where Flight 7412 came down. A flyover curves past it. New apartment blocks tower nearby. But the past has not been erased. "We used to hear someone crying during the night," said Ravi Ram, a sweeper who lives near the school. "Patna's darkest day," he calls it, reported The Times Of India. "We still used to hear sounds coming from inside the school building after midnight. It appears that someone is walking or running on the terrace or inside the school building," he recalled. Others echo this. "People avoided the area at night," said a resident. "Residents spoke of hearing cries for help at odd hours. Havans and religious ceremonies were performed to calm what many believed were restless souls," he said. Ajay Kumar Singh, a security guard at the under-construction MLC-MLA quarters next to the school, remembers the morning of the crash vividly. "There was a huge thump in the morning, then we saw fire and smoke. I rushed to the site and witnessed the heart-wrenching scene. Even now, we hear strange noises after 1 am. It is like someone thrashing desks and benches inside the school," he recalled. Coming back to the Ahmedabad crash, 241 of the 242 people on board died. The sole survivor was a British-Indian citizen who walked out of the flames and was later admitted to a hospital. He was seated in 11A.
Hindustan Times
14-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
In six of India's deadliest air disasters, investigators pinpointed human error
New Delhi: India has witnessed several major air disasters over the years, many of which have resulted in significant loss of life and triggered important safety reviews. Most investigations into these accidents have pointed to a combination of human error, non-compliance with procedures, and in some cases, systemic failings in aviation oversight. On August 7, 2020, Air India Express Flight 1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode skidded off the runway and plunged into a valley while attempting to land in heavy rain. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was carrying over 180 passengers and crew, of whom 21 lost their lives. According to the final report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the crash occurred due to non-adherence to standard operating procedures by the pilots, particularly a delayed decision to initiate a go-around. The report also pointed to underlying systemic failures as a contributing factor. Another major tragedy occurred on May 22, 2010, when Air India Express Flight 812 overshot the runway while landing at Mangalore. The aircraft broke apart after falling into a gorge, killing 158 people. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) concluded that the captain ignored repeated warnings from the first officer to initiate a go-around and continued with an unstabilised approach. On July 17, 2000, Alliance Air Flight 7412 crashed during landing in Patna. The Boeing 737-200 aircraft stalled on approach and crashed into a residential area, killing over 60 people. Investigators found that the pilots lost control of the aircraft due to a failure to recover from an impending stall and poor execution of go-around procedures. Indian Airlines Flight 605 crashed on February 14, 1990, during its approach to Bangalore. The Airbus A320 hit a golf course short of the runway, killing 92 people. The DGCA attributed the crash to pilot error, including an incorrect descent path and a failure to recognize and correct the situation in time. On April 26, 1993, Indian Airlines Flight 491 crashed shortly after takeoff from Aurangabad. The Boeing 737-200 collided with a truck and power lines, resulting in 55 fatalities. The investigation found that the captain misjudged the takeoff and that inadequate airport security and infrastructure played a role in the crash. India's worst aviation disaster, however, remains the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision on November 12, 1996, in which 349 people were killed. A Saudi Arabian Boeing 747 and a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 collided mid-air near Charkhi Dadri in Haryana. Investigators determined that the Kazakh crew failed to maintain the correct altitude and that poor English communication contributed to the accident. This incident led to sweeping changes in Indian airspace, including the mandatory use of airborne collision avoidance systems (ACAS).
