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The Print
08-07-2025
- General
- The Print
Air India crash: AAIB submits report after initial findings, probe on in line with ICAO norms
Top sources in the aviation sector confirmed that all norms are being followed and international standards are being maintained. This report has been submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation as well as other stakeholders, going by the protocol. The report is based on the initial findings in the investigation. The Ministry is yet to issue a statement on the matter. New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has prepared the preliminary report on last month's Air India crash, ThePrint has learnt. 'The AAIB will be adhering to the international standards in regards to the Air India crash that took place 12 June in Ahmedabad. All international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are being followed,' a source said. Earlier, the black box containing flight data and cockpit voice recordings was sent to the AAIB lab in Delhi for analysis. According to the ICAO guidelines, India, as a signatory, is required to file a preliminary report within 30 days of the crash. All aircraft accidents are to be probed in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 (sets international standards for investigating aircraft accidents) and the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017. At least 275 people were killed after the London-bound Air India flight AI 171 crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building in Ahmedabad, seconds after take off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on 12 June. Out of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, only one person survived the crash. After the crash, the ministry had said that a dual probe is underway on the crash. The technical aspect is probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and a high-level committee was looking into other aspects of the crash. The AAIB probe is led by the agency's Director General and includes an aviation medicine specialist, an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) officer, and representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a government investigative agency from the state of manufacture and design (i.e., the US), as required for such probes. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Recurring aircraft defects to faded runway lines, DGCA check reveals safety lapses at key airports
The Print
07-07-2025
- General
- The Print
Repairs begin on British Navy's stranded F-35B fighter in Kerala after 24-day wait
'A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F35B aircraft,' British High Commission's defence adviser Commodore Chris Saunders said Monday in a post on X. 'Repairs are underway on the aircraft, which has now been moved to the maintenance hangar. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities.' The team was flown in on a Royal Air Force (RAF) A400M Atlas military transport aircraft to carry out the repair works. New Delhi: Over three weeks after a hydraulic snag grounded the UK's F-35B stealth fighter, a British engineering team began work on the jet that is now towed to a designated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangar in Thiruvananthapuram airport. The team of around 25 technical experts had arrived over the weekend and the engineers will now assess whether the F-35B can be repaired on site or if it will need to be dismantled and transported back to the UK. The British High Commission also released a statement Sunday, confirming the deployment of a UK engineering team to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport 'to assess and repair the UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion.' 'The UK has accepted India's offer to use the MRO facility at the airport and is working with relevant authorities to finalise arrangements,' the statement added. 'In line with standard procedure, the aircraft will be moved following the arrival of UK engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process.' As reported earlier by ThePrint, the F-35B had been operating from HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier, which had recently concluded joint exercises with the Indian Navy. The aircraft was flying outside India's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) when it diverted to Thiruvananthapuram due to adverse weather and low fuel. It was detected and cleared to land by the Indian Air Force's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS). Preliminary assessments have indicated that the stealth fighter may have experienced fuel starvation during its final approach, potentially damaging components crucial to its vertical landing system. More broadly, failures in the hydraulic system can severely impact the jet's control surfaces, landing gear, braking and, most importantly, its vertical lift capabilities. Notably, a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) within the US Department of Defense had flagged in 2024 that the F-35 programme's global sustainment challenges, pointing out that major component repairs, hydraulics included, took an average of 141 days. The delays were attributed to global supply chain bottlenecks, limited maintenance capacity, and shortages of spare parts in the report. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: From Qatar to Bahrain, mapping US military presence in Middle East as US enters Israel-Iran conflict
The Print
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Print
Working with X to resolve matter, says Reuters on handles blocked in India
The clarification came hours after the two accounts—@Reuters and @ReutersWorld—were withheld from Indian users shortly after midnight on Saturday. 'We are working with X to resolve this matter and get Reuters' account reinstated in India as soon as possible,' a spokesperson for the news agency told ThePrint over email on Sunday, after two of its primary X (formerly Twitter) accounts were blocked in India. New Delhi: World's largest news agency Reuters confirmed that it is in talks with microblogging and social networking platform X to restore its blocked accounts in India. Users trying to access the accounts were shown the message that the content had been withheld 'in response to a legal demand.' Despite the restriction on its main accounts, the news agency maintains over 30 active secondary accounts on X, including @ReutersTechNews, @ReutersFactCheck, @ReutersAsia, @ReutersChina, and @ReutersPictures, which remain fully accessible in India. Its news website also continues to be reachable for users in the country. While X has not officially commented on the specific request behind the action, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) said there is 'no requirement from the Government of India to withhold the Reuters handle', and that it is 'continuously working with X to resolve the problem.' Reuters is the news and media division of Thomson Reuters Corporation, headquartered in Toronto, with a network of 2,600 journalists across 165 countries. X, the micro-blogging platform now owned by Elon Musk's X Corp, has previously withheld content and accounts in India in response to government takedown requests, often citing legal compliance. It remains unclear whether the current withholding of Reuters' accounts was the result of an earlier directive. In May, during Operation Sindoor, the Indian government had flagged over 8,000 accounts, including TRT World and China's Global Times, for takedown over national security concerns. While Reuters' account was reportedly on that list, it was not acted upon until now. ThePrint reached out to X for a comment. This article will be updated as and when X responds. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: MeitY contradicts X, says no requirement from Indian govt to withhold Reuters handle
The Print
26-06-2025
- General
- The Print
Air India crash: Data from recovered AI-171 Black Box downloaded, analysis underway
'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 analysis of CVR and FDR data is underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences,' the statement said. Both the front and rear black boxes reached the AAIB lab in Delhi on 24 June, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement Thursday. New Delhi: The data from the black box of the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad was successfully retrieved by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The 12 June crash has claimed as many as 275 people lives, including the 241 out of the 242 onboard the Boeing 787-8. Following the crash, both the Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR) were recovered. While the FDR was recovered from the rooftop of the building at the crash site on 13 June, the CVR was found in the debris on 16 June. 'Standard Operating Procedures were issued for their secure handling, storage, and transportation. The devices were kept under 24×7 police protection and CCTV surveillance in Ahmedabad,' the statement added. The AAIB, meanwhile, initiated an investigation and formed a multidisciplinary team on 13 June, in line with prescribed norms. Led by the AAIB Director General, the team includes an aviation medicine specialist, an Air Traffic Controller officer, and representatives from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which is a government investigative agency from the state of manufacture and design (i.e., the US), as required for such probes. 'On the evening of 24 June 2025, the team led by DG AAIB with technical members from AAIB and 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. The analysis of CVR and FDR data, officials said, is underway aiming to reconstruct the 'sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences'. India is a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Chicago Convention (1944) and investigates aircraft accidents in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 (sets international standards for investigating aircraft accidents) and the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017. The AAIB is the designated authority for such investigations. As per ICAO Annex 13, the preliminary report must be issued within 30 days of the incident. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Recurring aircraft defects to faded runway lines, DGCA check reveals safety lapses at key airports
The Print
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
After JNU, Jamia & Hyderabad's MANUU suspend ties with institutions in Turkey over support to Pakistan
Additionally, the use of Turkish-origin drones by Pakistan to breach Indian airspace has triggered widespread public and political backlash within the country. On Wednesday, the JNU announced that it had suspended its MoU with Inonu University in Turkey. This move comes amid an intensifying boycott of Turkish goods and services in India, spurred by Turkey's vocal support for Pakistan following India's military action under Operation Sindoor. New Delhi: After Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Hyderabad's Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) Thursday announced the suspension of their Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with educational institutions in Turkey, citing national security concerns. In a statement Thursday, Jamia affirmed its support for the nation. 'Due to national security considerations, any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and any institution affiliated with the Government of the Republic of Türkiye stands suspended with immediate effect, until further orders,' the university said. Similarly, the MANUU announced the immediate termination of its academic MoU with the Yunus Emre Institute. 'The decision has been taken in protest against Turkey's support for Pakistan's terrorist activities in the context of Indo-Pak tensions,' the university registrar said in an official communication. The university stated that the MoU had been signed on 2 January, 2024, for a period of five years, under which a diploma course in Turkish language was introduced at the School of Languages, Linguistics, and Indology. 'The services of a Visiting Professor were engaged for this program. It is also worth noting that the Visiting Professor from Turkey has already returned to his country,' the statement stated. There is also growing demand for a tourism boycott of both Turkey and Azerbaijan, following Ankara and Baku's support for Islamabad and their criticism of India's strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. MakeMyTrip, according to media reports, has seen a 60 percent decline in bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan, accompanied by a sharp rise in cancellations. Similarly, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) Wednesday issued a statement, urging the Indian film industry to avoid shooting films in Turkey in the future. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, Dehradun's Doon & Welham schools allow students to return home
