Latest news with #FlightAI171
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Business Standard
Govt provides VIP-level security to AAIB head leading Air India crash probe
The Union government has extended X-category armed security to GVG Yugandhar, director general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), who is leading the investigation into the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, PTI reported on Saturday. Following a threat perception report, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to provide protection to Yugandhar. Under the arrangement, three to four armed CRPF personnel will accompany the AAIB chief during his nationwide travel. ICAO joins investigation as observer In an unusual development, India has granted observer status to an expert from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for the ongoing probe. The ICAO, the UN's specialised aviation agency, had formally requested to send an observer to the crash inquiry — a request Indian authorities considered before approving. Tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. The aircraft was bound for London Gatwick on a non-stop flight. It struck a medical hostel complex in the Meghani Nagar area, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board. One passenger survived with minor injuries. In addition, 29 people on the ground lost their lives, taking the total death toll to 270. Multidisciplinary probe team formed The AAIB launched a formal investigation on June 13, constituting a multidisciplinary team comprising members from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an air traffic control officer, and an aviation medicine specialist. Black box data analysis underway in Delhi The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) — collectively known as black boxes — were retrieved and transported under high security to Delhi for analysis. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the CVR and FDR were recovered from the crash site on June 13 and June 16, respectively. One recorder was found atop a building, the other amid debris. Both were airlifted to the capital by the Indian Air Force on June 24. The data module from the front recorder was accessed and downloaded on June 25 at the AAIB laboratory in Delhi.
India Today
6 hours ago
- General
- India Today
Survivor's guilt, scorn: How Vishwaskumar Ramesh is dealing with life and loss after Air India crash
The gift of life may turn into a curse if you are the only survivor of a plane crash that claimed 271 lives, including 241 co-passengers—one of them your brother. British national of Indian origin Vishwaskumar Ramesh, 40, who miraculously escaped when Air India Flight AI171 plunged into an Ahmedabad medical college compound shortly after take-off on June 12, appears to have battled severe survivor's has been unable to sleep. His survival came at a profound cost—the loss of brother Ajay, 45, who was seated just across the aisle on seat 11J. Ramesh was the occupant of 11A. Besides the heavy burden of survivor's guilt, his ordeal was compounded by a baseless businessman from Leicester, UK, described the crash as a blur of terror. 'Thirty seconds into take-off, there was a loud noise and the plane crashed. It was sudden. When I woke up, I found bodies all around me,' Ramesh has told DD News channel from his hospital seat, it seems, detached during the crash, landing in a narrow gap between buildings where loose soil cushioned the fall, saving him from the fireball that the aircraft turned into. 'The plane broke and my seat came off,' Ramesh told doctors, recounting how he had unbuckled himself and crawled through a shattered fuselage, his left hand burned by flames. The brothers, natives of Diu, were returning to the UK after visiting family in their ancestral village of Bucharwada. Ramesh has returned to his village, where he is refusing to interact with anyone except footage of the air tragedy had captured him stumbling barefoot through the plane's debris, shouting, 'Plane fatyo che! (The plane exploded!)', even as he tried to return to the wreckage to find Ajay, only to be restrained by first guilt, a well-documented psychological phenomenon, likely gripped Ramesh in the days that followed. Clinical studies describe it as a profound sense of remorse or unworthiness experienced by those who survive a tragedy while others, especially loved ones, do survivor's guilt can manifest as intrusive thoughts, depression or a fixation on 'why me?'. Ramesh's repeated statements—'I don't know how I survived' and 'I still can't believe I'm alive'—suggest a struggle to process it all. His proximity to Ajay during the crash likely amplified his sense of responsibility, as if he could have done something to save his public nature of his suffering, amplified by viral videos, may have further complicated his ability to grieve privately, as the world watched his every move. The heart-wrenching visuals of Ramesh, bandaged and limping, carrying Ajay's coffin during the funeral procession in Diu on June 18, underscored his grief. Ramesh broke down multiple times, shouldering his brother's bier alongside their father, Ramesh Bhalia, as the family Ramesh grappled with his loss, a disturbing rumour surfaced on social media. It suggested he had fabricated his presence on the flight. The rumour spread rapidly, fuelled by the sensational nature of the crash and the public's fascination with his survival. The origins of it are unclear, possibly stemming from misinformation or scepticism about how someone could survive such a catastrophic event June 20, actor and singer Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, in her now-deleted post, said: 'So this #vishwaskumarramesh lied about being a passenger on the plane & the only survivor? This is seriously weird. Didn't his family in the UK corroborate his story? What about his brother's funeral that he was seen giving kandha to? Deserve not only some serious punishment but some mental asylum time if this is true, uff.'Within hours, several independent social media influencers and users circulated reels and posts, joining the bandwagon of scepticism against Ramesh, and a rumour that he was arrested by police caught the backlash was also swift. Social media users condemned Krishnamoorthi for her insensitivity, pointing to overwhelming evidence of Ramesh's survival: hospital records, police confirmation, Air India's passenger manifest listing him on seat 11A, and video footage of him emerging from the wreckage. However, videos and posts continue to police commissioner G.S. Malik and Dr Dhaval Gameti, who treated Ramesh at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, confirmed his identity and injuries, noting he was 'disoriented with multiple injuries' but out of danger. Ramesh's survival was not only verified but celebrated by authorities, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah visiting him in hospital. And yet, the rumour's brief traction reveals how quickly public perception can shift from empathy to scepticism, particularly in high-profile to India Today Magazine- EndsTune InTrending Reel
Arab Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Air India fires executives after party video sparks outrage post-crash
NEW DELHI, India, June 28: Four senior executives at Air India SATS (AISATS) have been asked to step down after a video of an office party went viral, drawing widespread condemnation. The controversy erupted just days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 on June 12, 2025, which claimed 270 lives and plunged the nation into mourning. The video, widely shared on social media, showed AISATS Chief Operating Officer Abraham Zachariah and several other employees dancing to loud music during a celebration at the company's Gurugram office. The timing of the event, so soon after one of India's most devastating aviation disasters, was criticized as highly inappropriate and lacking compassion. Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed shortly after takeoff, striking a hostel at Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College. Of the 260 people onboard, only one passenger survived. As grieving families awaited the return of their loved ones' remains, the video prompted a wave of outrage online, with many accusing the company of insensitivity and poor judgment. In response to the backlash, AISATS released an official statement: "At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with the families affected by the tragic loss of AI171 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." While the company did not confirm the exact date of the party, sources stated that four senior employees were dismissed for their involvement in organizing the event. AISATS is a joint venture between Air India—now under the ownership of the Tata Group—and Singapore-based SATS Ltd., a prominent global provider of airport services.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Air India venture sacks four seniors for office party soon after plane crash
Four senior executives at Air India SATS (AISATS) have been asked to resign after a video of an office party in Gurugram went viral, sparking widespread outrage. The video surfaced just days after the devastating Air India flight AI171 crash on June 12, 2025, which killed 259 people and left the nation in mourning. The clip, which featured AISATS Chief Operating Officer Abraham Zachariah and other staff members dancing to loud music, was widely circulated on social media. The timing of the celebration—held shortly after one of India's deadliest aviation disasters—was widely condemned as tone-deaf and deeply insensitive. Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London, crashed into a hostel for medical students at Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff. Of the 260 people on board, only one survived. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 'Swing is King': Mr. Hemant's Strategy Finally Explained in Free Session TradeWise Learn More Undo — TheSquind (@TheSquind) As grieving families awaited the repatriation of victims' remains, the video drew sharp criticism for its perceived lack of empathy. Many users on social media slammed the company for insensitivity and poor judgment. Live Events In response, AISATS issued a statement saying, 'At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with the families affected by the tragic loss of AI171 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.' While AISATS did not specify when the party occurred, sources confirmed that four senior staff members were terminated for their direct involvement in organizing the event. AISATS is a joint venture between Air India, now owned by the Tata Group, and Singapore-based SATS Ltd., a global leader in airport services. The company emphasized that disciplinary action had been taken to uphold its ethical standards, but the damage to its public image amid a national tragedy has already drawn significant backlash.
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Parliamentary Panel To Grill Boeing, Air India Executives On Ahmedabad Crash
New Delhi: The Parliamentary Committee on Transport has summoned Boeing executives, Air India representatives, the Civil Aviation Secretary, and DGCA officials for a discussion on air safety issues related to the tragic Boeing Dreamliner crash within seconds of take-off from the Ahmedabad airport. The meeting is likely to be held in the first week of July. According to sources, "multiple shortcomings" in the aviation sector, with the maintenance of aircraft, are now a matter of huge concern. The committee will also address frequent helicopter accidents that have taken place recently on the Char Dham pilgrim route. Discussion will include the role of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), aircraft maintenance schedules, and the mental fitness of pilots, sources said. The committee's report will likely be tabled in the next session of Parliament. Before this meeting, the committee is scheduled to hold a consultation in Gangtok to review air and road connectivity to the northeastern states, with the focus on developing tourism. The committee members are expected to travel by an Air India flight to get a first-hand assessment of the airline and its operations. The DGCA had ordered the immediate removal of three senior Air India officials, including a divisional vice president, from all responsibilities related to flight crew scheduling and rostering as part of the first punitive action after the Boeing crash. It has also asked the Tata Group-owned airline to initiate internal disciplinary proceedings against the three officials without further delay. Failure to do so would result in severe action, including the possibility of the airline losing its operating licence. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun analysing the black box data recovered from the crash site of Air India Flight AI171. "The black boxes were brought from Ahmedabad to Delhi by IAF aircraft with full security on 24 June 2025. The front black box arrived at the AAIB lab in Delhi with the Director General (DG) of AAIB at 1400 hrs on 24 June 2025," according to an official statement on Thursday. "On the evening of 24 June 2025, the team led by the DG of AAIB, along with technical members from AAIB and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), began the data extraction process. The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on 25 June 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB lab," the statement said.
