Latest news with #AirIndia
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First Post
18 minutes ago
- General
- First Post
India responds to UK media reports of botched repatriation after Air India tragedy
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said all mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased read more Remains of the Air India plane that crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, Thursday in June. File image/PTI India on Wednesday trashed a British media report which claimed that two families in the UK received wrong bodies of victims of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said all mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased. 'We have seen the report and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention,' MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In the wake of the tragic crash, the concerned authorities had carried out identification of victims as per established protocols and technical requirements,' he said. Jaiswal was responding to media queries regarding a report in the Daily Mail on the June 12 Air India crash in which 241 people on board were killed, including 53 British nationals. 'All mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased. We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue,' he said. The British newspaper, citing versions of two unnamed families, claimed that the repatriation of Britons killed in the crash has been 'horrifically bungled'. Bereaved families are suffering fresh heartache because the remains of their loved ones were wrongly identified before being flown home, it alleged.
The Print
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Print
Air India crash: India ‘working closely' with UK after reports of families receiving wrong bodies surface
'We have seen the report and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention. In the wake of the tragic crash, the concerned authorities had carried out identification of victims as per established protocols and technical requirements,' the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement, in response to a report by the British tabloid Daily Mail. At least 52 passengers in the aircraft were citizens of the United Kingdom. One British citizen Vishwash Ramesh Kumar is the sole survivor from the air crash. New Delhi: India Wednesday said it is 'working closely' with the UK on the return of the mortal remains of those who perished in the Air India Flight 171 crash, after reports appeared in British media highlighting that the grieving families have been receiving wrongly identified bodies. The statement added: 'All mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased. We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue.' The British tabloid Tuesday reported that a 'top-level inquiry' is underway after Britons received caskets with wrongly identified remains, while another family found remnants of more than one person in the casket they received. In another case, a family had cancelled their funeral plans after being informed that the coffin they received held the body parts of another passenger, rather than their own family member. A person familiar with the matter pointed out that the air crash 'was a gruesome accident' and that the process to identify 'body parts was a particularly complex exercise'. The person further highlighted that 'in accidents of such nature, it is likely that body tissues of different people get fused which may lead to different results when making DNA analysis'. According to the Daily Mail, the issue over the return of the remains of passengers is likely to figure in discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer. Modi departed New Delhi Wednesday for a two-day visit to the UK, where he is set to call on King Charles III, apart from holding bilateral discussions with Starmer. The signing of the free trade agreement between the two countries is also likely to happen. Furthermore, India is set to flag the issues of Sikh separatism and cross-border terrorism. After the UK, Modi will head to Maldives, where he will be the guest of honour for the Independence Day celebrations of the island country on 26 July. The Air India Flight 171 disaster left at least 260 people dead on 12 June, when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost power after take-off and crashed into the hostel of a medical college close to Ahmedabad airport. The flight was connecting Ahmedabad to London. Soon after take-off, the fuel switches on Engine 1 and Engine 2 moved from 'run' to 'cutoff' essentially cutting the supply of fuel, according to the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) earlier this month. The AAIB is continuing its investigation into the causes of the switch movement. (Edited by Gitanjali Das) Also Read: Indian pilots' body sends legal notices to WSJ, Reuters for 'misleading' reports on Air India crash probe
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Resume Goa-Gatwick flight, many take it for employment: CM to Centre
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday wrote to the Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu requesting his intervention for resumption of the Air India flight from Goa to Gatwick, London. Sawant said the flight had been suspended following the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last month. The crash on June 12 killed all but one of the 241 passengers aboard and 19 people on the ground. In an email to the Union Minister Wednesday, Sawant said: 'It is learnt that the operation of the Goa-Gatwick non-stop flight operated by Air India was suspended in June 2025, after the Ahmadabad plane crash. The resumption was likely to be started with effect from July 15'. Sawant said the suspension of flight services has caused a lot of inconvenience to Goans travelling to and from London. 'Many Goans travel on this route for employment purposes. I request you to kindly take up the issue with Air India and facilitate early operation of this flight,' he said. Calangute MLA Michael Lobo had initially raised the issue in the state legislative assembly on Monday, expressing concern over the suspension of the flight. Lobo said the flight was used by Goans, who had been studying and working abroad, and sought intervention of the chief minister. Sawant said he will consult the Union Civil Aviation Ministry on the issue. On Wednesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Venzy Viegas raised a point of order in the House and sought an update on the matter. In response, Sawant informed the House that he will write to the Ministry Wednesday via email.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Ahmedabad-Diu IndiGo Flight Aborts Take-Off Due To Technical Snag
Ahmedabad: A Diu-bound IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad carrying around 50 passengers and crew members aborted take-off at the last minute on Wednesday due to a technical issue, sources said. As per the schedule, the flight was supposed to depart around 11.15 am from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, they said. The aircraft was in the take-off roll phase when the pilot decided to stop it on the runway. "A technical snag indication was noticed just before the take-off on IndiGo flight 6E7966 operating from Ahmedabad to Diu on July 23," IndiGo said in a statement. Following the standard operating procedure, the pilots informed the authorities and returned the aircraft to bay, it said. The aircraft will undergo necessary checks and maintenance before resuming operations, it said. The airline also said it will accommodate the passengers in the next available flight or will provide a full refund against cancellation, as per their preference. An airport official said the IndiGo flight was cancelled due to some technical issues. "When the aircraft began its take-off roll, the pilots took a decision to stop it due to some technical reasons," a source said. All the 50-odd passengers and crew members are safe, he said. This is the third incident involving an IndiGo aircraft in the last few days. On July 21, an IndiGo flight from Goa with 140 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Madhya Pradesh's Indore due to a landing gear issue. Prior to that on July 17, a Goa-bound IndiGo flight from Delhi made an emergency landing in Mumbai after being diverted to it due to a mid-air engine failure. The flight was being operated with an Airbus A320neo aircraft. On June 12, an Air India flight to London Gatwick crashed within seconds of its take-off from the Ahmedabad airport, killing 241 of the 242 passengers and crew members on board and 19 persons on ground.
Arab Times
2 hours ago
- General
- Arab Times
Air India Express flight makes emergency U-turn to Kerala
KERALA, India, July 23: An Air India Express flight (IX375) operating from Kozhikode, Kerala, to Doha returned to its departure airport on Wednesday shortly after takeoff due to a technical issue. The Boeing 737-86N aircraft departed Calicut International Airport at 9:17 a.m. and landed safely back at 11:12 a.m. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed that the aircraft returned due to a technical malfunction. An alternative aircraft was arranged to accommodate the affected passengers, who were provided with refreshments during the delay. The rescheduled flight has since departed. This incident follows another occurrence on Tuesday involving an Air India flight (AI 315) from Hong Kong to Delhi. Upon landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the aircraft experienced a fire in its auxiliary power unit (APU), a small engine typically located in the tail section that provides power when the main engines are off. The APU fire broke out just as passengers began disembarking. According to the airline, the system responded automatically, shutting down the APU as designed. All passengers and crew exited safely, and no injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained some damage and remains grounded pending further investigation. The incident has been reported to the aviation regulator.
