Latest news with #MH370
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Long before MH370, a plane with two vanished without a trace: Here's all about the dissapearance of Boeing 727 N844AA
— TheImmortal007 (@TheImmortal007) Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Years before Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished, another plane disappeared in 2003—without a trace. On May 25 that year, a Boeing 727-223, registered N844AA, was stolen from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola. The aircraft, once operated by American Airlines, had been grounded for over a year, reportedly due to ownership disputes, unpaid fees of around $4 million, and questions over its conversion from passenger to cargo evening, two men—Ben C. Padilla, an American flight engineer and mechanic, and John M. Mutantu, a Congolese mechanic—are believed to have boarded the aircraft. Neither was qualified to fly a 727, which typically requires three trained crew members. Still, the aircraft began taxiing without clearance or communication with the control tower. With its transponder off and lights out, it took off heading southwest over the Atlantic Ocean—and vanished.N844AA was carrying over 14,000 gallons of fuel, giving it a 1,500-mile range, but no debris or sign of the plane or men has ever been found. The U.S. intelligence community, including the FBI and CIA, launched investigations, but the trail quickly went many conspiracy theories were floated regarding the disappearance of the plane. Some suspect it was stolen for illicit cargo runs involving arms or drugs. Others believe it could have been part of an insurance fraud scheme. In the post-9/11 climate, there were initial fears it might be used in a terror attack, though none materialized. More far-fetched ideas suggest government cover-ups or even extraterrestrial to Discovery, the simplest explanation remains that the plane crashed—either into the ocean or a remote part of Africa—its wreckage never located due to poor tracking and vast unmonitored terrain. A supposed sighting in Guinea weeks later was quickly ruled two decades later, the fate of N844AA remains one of aviation's great unsolved mysteries, eclipsed only by the disappearance of MH370.
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
Decoding Air India 171 Crash Probe: Fuel Switches, Silence & Unanswered Questions In Our Defence S3
India's worst aviation disaster in recent years. Air India Flight 171 crashed within a minute after takeoff -- killing 260 people. In this episode of In Our Defence, journalist and aviation enthusiast Sandeep Unnithan joins host Dev Goswami to unpack the preliminary probe report that has sparked a polarised debate on the cause of the crash: How did the fuel switches end up in the off position? The two break down: Why air crash investigations aren't about blame, but prevention What the AI 171 preliminary report reveals (and what it doesn't) How the fuel switches were turned off -- accident, error, or something else? The intense public reaction -- is it okay to even suggest 'pilot error'? Whether India's aviation investigators can resist the pressure Will this become another unsolved mystery like MH370? While we await the final report into the tragedy, tune in for the first impressions on a preliminary report that raises more questions than it answers. Produced by Garvit Srivastava Sound mixed by Aman Pal
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Air India rejects claims Ahmedabad crash survivors' kin coerced into signing documents
Air India on Friday denied allegations that it coerced families of victims from the AI-171 crash into signing documents about their financial dependency on the deceased in an attempt to reduce compensation payouts. Wreckage of the Air India flight at the crash site in Ahmedabad. (Bloomberg) The airline called the claims 'unsubstantiated and inaccurate', saying it takes 'such accusations incredibly seriously' because the 'support and welfare of the families impacted by this tragic incident is our number one priority'. The controversy emerged following a report in The Guardian in which aviation lawyer Peter Neenan, who represents families of the crash victims, accused the airline of 'ethically outrageous' behaviour towards bereaved relatives. Neenan, a partner at UK law firm Stewarts that has represented families in major airline disasters including MH17 and MH370, claimed the airline's treatment of grief-stricken families could save it at least £100m by under-compensating families. The report quoted Neenan as alleging that relatives arriving to identify their loved ones' remains in the days after the June 12 crash were put in a 'small, crowded room' in intense heat with other bereaved families and told to fill out documentation and a complicated questionnaire asking for important financial information. The families were not given any warning, legal advice or a copy of the documents, Neenan said. Some families have told him that Air India officials followed up with visits to their homes and asked why they had not yet completed the forms. One relative, whose mother was killed in the crash, told The Guardian: 'The conditions where they asked us to complete the questionnaire were unacceptable, in a crowded hot corridor with unsuitable chairs and desks. There was no privacy whatsoever.' The family member added: 'Air India should have done this in a more professional and compassionate manner and asked all families to seek legal advice before proceeding. However, it was implied that if we did not complete the questionnaire and submit documents then no compensation would be paid.' Imtiaz Ali, brother of deceased passenger Javed Ali Syed, told HT he filled the form online and sent it to Air India officials via email. 'I fail to understand why the income and occupation details were required. I have filled the form but there would be many others who would face difficulty in finding such details. Also, we haven't so far received the interim compensation from Air India,' he said, adding that his brother's luggage and belongings have yet to be handed over to him. Air India clarified that the request for financial information was part of a standard process to ensure that interim compensation reached the rightful beneficiaries promptly. 'Efforts are being made by the airlines to process the payment of the interim compensation (also referred to as advance compensation) as soon as possible, to meet the immediate financial needs of affected family members, with the first payments having been made within days of the accident. However, Air India cannot process these payments in an information vacuum,' the airline stated. The carrier said it sought basic information to establish family relationships to ensure advance payments are received by those entitled to them. In an internal message to employees, Air India chief executive and managing director Campbell Wilson said the carrier has paid compensation to families of nearly two-thirds of the victims. 'Our teams have been helping families receive interim compensation. Every affected family is being directly assisted by an Air India representative, with nearly two-thirds having already received payment or are in the final stages,' Wilson told airline employees. Air India parent company Tata Sons announced it will provide ₹1 crore each to the families of each person who died in the crash. On June 14, Air India announced it will provide interim compensation of ₹25 lakh to the families of each of the deceased and survivors to help address immediate financial needs. The Air India Dreamliner from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed moments after takeoff on June 12, killing 260 people onboard and on the ground. 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. Of the 242 people onboard, 241 were killed, while the total death toll stood at 260, including casualties on the ground.
India Today
18-06-2025
- General
- India Today
Why Air India renamed flight AI-171 after the crash
After Air India flight AI-171 crashed just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, the airline changed its number to AI-159. But this isn't the first time a flight has been renamed after a tragedy. From MH370 to Lion Air JT610, here's why airlines do it — and what it means. #AirIndia #PlaneCrash #AviationNews #FlightNumberChange #MH370 #JT610 #Dreamliner #AI171 #AI159 #Explainer #AviationFacts
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
4 days after tragedy, Air India renumbers Ahmedabad–Gatwick flight; AI 171 retired to ease trauma for flyers and crew
AHMEDABAD: Four days after the Air India flight, AI 171 crashed the direct flight between Ahmedabad and Gatwick-London is set to resume from Monday, albeit with a new flight number. Sources confirmed that the flight service will resume from Monday, whereas bookings are currently available for flights on Tuesday. Although Air India has not issued an official statement on the renumbering, the updated flight number is reflected on the airline's official website. A Boeing 787-8 aircraft will operate the said flight. The service will now operate under a new flight number – AI 159 – with the return journey designated as AI 160, as learnt from sources. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the airline has retired the AI 171 designation in an effort to help passengers and crew psychologically distance the revived route from the devastating incident, as is learnt. Aviation sources confirm that such changes are not uncommon and are generally adopted to provide emotional closure and restore traveller confidence. 'Renumbering a flight after a major accident is standard industry practice. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo It is a mark of respect for the lives that were lost,' a source said. Notably, this approach has precedent. The Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and Lion Air flight JT610 both underwent renumbering following high-profile crashes, in line with international aviation norms aimed at addressing public sentiment.
