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Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
India plane crash live: Ahmedabad to Gatwick flight carrying 242 people crashes; British national reportedly survived
15:26:40 British national survived Air India plane crash - NDTV report A British man who claims to have survived the crash in Ahmedabad has described the moment the plane went down. According to Sky News' partner network NDTV, Ahmedabad's police commissioner said one passenger survived the crash. NDTV names him as British-Indian man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Speaking to the Hindustan Times newspaper, Ramesh said he heard a "loud noise" around 30 seconds after take-off before the plane went down. "It all happened so quickly," he said, adding he had received "impact injuries" on his chest, eyes and feet. "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital." He told Indian media he had lived in London for 20 years. He said that his brother Ajay was seated in a different row on the plane. Separately, footage shared on social media showed a man limping away from the crash site and being led towards emergency services. 15:20:01 Reason landing gear was still out 'remains a mystery' - and why Boeing may ground planes Paul Edwards, an aviation security analyst and fellow at the Royal Aeronautical Society, told Sky News the footage of the plane going down is difficult to watch. "There are two things that are needed for an aircraft take-off. One is adequate airspeed and the other one is a rate of climb," he said. "And that had neither." He added that normally pilots retract the aircraft's landing gear so that the plane can be more aerodynamic, and it's not clear why this wasn't done in the case of Air India Flight 171. "It could have been he (the pilot) just didn't have time. Or it could be that perhaps he thought he could control it, go round again on land or even land straight ahead." "We can't second-guess it," Edwards added. "So that remains, if you like, a mystery." He was also asked if the tragic crash raises questions about the type of plane - a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. "Well, they've got an impeccable safety record so far, but there will be massive impetus to get to the bottom of this in case there is a factor that could be applied to other aircraft within the fleet," he said. "In which case, they may have to ground them in, they may have to modify them." 15:12:30 'Injured passengers taken to hospitals', Air India boss says Campbell Wilson, the boss of Air India, has released a video statement expressing his "deep sorrow" following the plane crash in Ahmedabad. "This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India," he says. "Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones." He says the "injured passengers have been taken by local authorities to the nearest hospitals". "Investigations will take time, but anything we can do now, we are doing," Wilson adds. 15:07:01 Plane's path to crash - what tracking data and imagery tells us By Tom Cheshire, data and forensics correspondent Authorities quickly confirmed that Flight AI 171 crashed shortly after take-off - this is what tracking data and imagery of the crash can tell us. The plane took off on the usual flight path for this airport, bound for Gatwick. Watch below: Flight route shows plane's path This is based on incomplete tracking data - Flightradar24 has updated its findings, saying: "Additional processing confirms #AI171 departed using the full length of Runway 23 at Ahmedabad. RWY 23 is 11,499 feet long. The aircraft backtracked to the end of the runway before beginning its take-off roll." The crash location is only a couple of kilometres from the runway. There appear to be two main locations of plane debris. The initial crash, where the tail of the plane separated. And then further wreckage as the plane continued into apartment blocks, where the main fire broke out. The buildings it landed on appear to be the Atulyam 3 residential block and the Royal Mess food hall. Reviews online say that: "Atulyam is basically a series of flats and buildings for [medical] students of the civil hospital, Ahmedabad and an attached group of hospitals." 14:58:09 Air India's owners to offer victims' families around £86,000, company says Air India's owners, Tata Group, will offer around £86,000 to the families of each person who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, the company said. A statement attributed to Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the chairperson of Air India, says the medical expenses of those injured will also be covered. "We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time," it adds. 14:57:01 UK sending air accident inspectors to India The UK is deploying a team of four air accident inspectors to Ahmedabad to assist their Indian counterparts, a special adviser for the Department for Transport says. The team, from the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, will depart from London this evening and arrive on site tomorrow afternoon. A liaison official is also being sent to Gatwick, where a reception centre for relatives is being set up. 14:50:01 Portuguese and Canadian leaders share messages in response to crash Among the 242 passengers on board, seven were Portuguese nationals and one was Canadian. Their conditions are not yet known. The leaders of each country have expressed condolences for the families of victims. Luis Montenegro, Portugal's prime minister, wrote in a post on social media: "It was with deep dismay that I learned of the tragic aviation accident in India, in which 7 citizens of Portuguese nationality were involved. "On my behalf and that of the government, I wish to express condolences and profound solidarity with the families of the victims." Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, said he was "devastated" to learn of the crash. "My thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board," he wrote on social media. "Canada's transportation officials are in close contact with counterparts and I am receiving regular updates as the response to this tragedy unfolds." 14:43:01 Several fatal crashes in Air India's nine decades of operation Air India, which started operations in 1932, and its subsidiary Air India Express, have suffered several fatal crashes over the years. According to Aviation Safety Network (ASN), the most recent fatal crashes were: May 2010: Boeing 737-800 (Air India Express) overshot the runway at Mangalore, India, and crashed into a gorge, killing 158 people. August 2020: Boeing 737-800 (Air India Express) after landing in Karipur, India, the aircraft left the runway, rolled down an embankment and broke up, killing 21 people. Here are some recent non-fatal incidents, according to ASN, which references various sources: September 2024: Boeing 737-8HG (Air India Express) suffered engine problems after taking off from Delhi, which was confirmed by the airline, and the aircraft returned to the airport. October 2024: Boeing 737-8HG (Air India Express) declared an emergency immediately after take-off due to a hydraulic issue in Tamil Nadu, eventually landing safely, which a local minister said had affected the landing gear. December 2024: Airbus A320-251N started the take-off roll (the start of building up speed to take off) on a taxiway instead of the runway at Goa, according to the aviation safety regulator, but stopped when alerted by a tower controller. December 2024: Boeing 737-86N (Air India Express) returned to land at Kochi after tyre debris was found on the runway, according to Onmanorama, a local news outlet in Kerala. January 2025: Airbus A320-251N suffered an engine shutdown after departing Bangalore and landed safely at the same location, according to the Times of India.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Residents' fury as council saves ‘Jack and the Beanstalk' tree
Residents in Winchester have said they are 'extremely angry' after a council voted to protect a 'Jack and the Beanstalk' oak tree they say is dangerous. People living on one of the Hampshire city's most prestigious roads called the decision to issue a preservation order on the 45ft tree 'grotesquely irresponsible' and 'ludicrous'. Officials unanimously approved the order after hearing of the 'biodiversity value' the oak has to Canon Street, which is near Winchester Cathedral. Dr Sandra Steel, who lives nearby, spoke for residents at the Winchester city council planning meeting on Wednesday. According to the BBC, she said the tree's spreading roots 'cause structural damage', adding that 'our historic houses are particularly vulnerable'. On hearing the verdict, Dr Steel said: 'You are waiting for our houses to fall down, I guess.' She said [residents] all 'feel extremely angry' and called the decision 'quite ridiculous', adding: 'An oak tree belongs to an open area or a forest, not in gardens of historic houses.' The o ak tree was planted about 50 years ago and grew by 6ft last year. Residents have said it is 'out of proportion' to the surrounding properties and dominates the small garden in which it sits. When the current homeowners applied to have the tree felled, the council put a preliminary protection order on it, saying it was 'appreciated' by residents on a neighbouring street and was nice to look at. Mark Pocock, another resident, previously called the decision to protect the tree 'ludicrous', adding: 'If it were to fall and damage properties or persons, I would say the responsibility would be entirely with the council – not the owners of those properties. 'I think putting a tree protection order on it is grotesquely irresponsible. It could be a danger to property and life.' Nick Goff, who moved into his property on an adjacent road just over a year ago, added: 'The issue is that in 10 years that will be double the height and double the width. It put on 6ft last year, and it's going to put on another 6ft this year. 'Some guy planted this as something to do 40 years ago. Now, we have got Jack and the Beanstalk. It's not a historic tree – it's a silly mistake.' During the planning meeting, John Bartlett, the local authority's tree officer, said the oak was 'one of the last remaining significant trees' in that area. He told councillors: 'It has a significant biodiversity value supporting many different species. A mature oak tree can support up to 2,300 species, possibly more, when it reaches maturity, and its importance is only increased by the fact that it's in this urban landscape.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Judy the hero Boxer dog honoured for charging at gun-toting terrorists and saving her brother's life
The gallantry medal awarded to a hero dog who thwarted a terrorist attack on British officers and saved her brother's life has sold for £22,000. Judy, a Boxer Bitch, and her brother Punch sprang into action after detecting intruders at an army compound in Palestine in the aftermath of Second World War. They barked furiously to alert their masters then charged towards the assailants. The canines were met by a burst of sub-machine fire from the terrorists but did not take a backwards step. The two officers inside the compound heard the commotion and ran outside. They saw a pool of blood which led them to Punch who was seriously wounded with Judy draped over him. She had attempted to shield her brother from further bullets after he was shot in the throat, skull and groin. She somehow emerged unscathed from the firing frenzy other than a bullet graze to her back. The gallantry medal awarded to a hero dog who thwarted a terrorist attack on British officers and saved her brother's life has sold for £22,000. Judy, a Boxer Bitch, and her brother Punch sprung into action after detecting intruders at an army compound in Palestine in the aftermath of Second World War The Dickin Medal awarded to Judy for thwarting the attack on a British Army base in Palestine in 1946 Punch, miraculously, also survived, despite losing three quarters of a pint of blood. The terrorists would have been able to sneak in undetected to the house and murder the officers in cold blood without their dogs' intervention. Judy's devotion to her sibling and willingness to risk her life saved his. Both dogs were awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent to the Victoria Cross, for their fearless actions protecting their masters on the night of August 5, 1946. Judy's medal was sold by a private collector who has owned it for 14 years. It went under the hammer at auctioneers Noonans, of Mayfair, London, where it outperformed the pre-sale estimate of £14,000 to £18,000. The dogs were the pets of Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, who was Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Jerusalem Military Court, and the Adjutant General Lt Col Niven. The officers shared a house in the Jerusalem suburb and, seemingly oblivous to the danger posed to them, had left the front door open. Judy was awarded for her heroics in Palestine. So far 38 dogs have been awarded the Dickin Medal Judy's Dickin Medal citation reads: 'For beating off a terrorist attack on British Officers at risk of her own life while serving with Army H.Q. Palestine, on August 5th 1946.' Returning to the UK and after undergoing quarantine, both dogs were presented with their Dickin Medals during the Royal Tournamentcat Olympia on June 14, 1947. The Dickin Medal was created in 1943 by Maria Dickin, the founder of British veterinary charity the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, to honour animal gallantry during the war. To date, 75 have been awarded by the PDSA, with 38 going to dogs, 32 to pigeons, four to horses and one to a cat. A Noonans spokesperson said: 'This Dickin Medal for gallantry was awarded to Judy, a boxer bitch, for thwarting a night-time terrorist attack on British officers in Palestine. 'Suddenly the dogs became aware of intruders within the compound. 'Racing into the darkness and barking furiously, they were met with a burst of sub-machine gun fire from one or possibly two terrorists within the barbed-wire protected perimeter. 'Apparently the intruders were stealthily creeping towards the house with the intent to kill the officers. The certificate accompanying the Dickin Medal that was awarded to Judy the Boxer 'The barking and gunfire alerted the officers, thwarted the attack and thus saved their lives. 'Judy protected and undoubtedly saved the life of her severely wounded brother Punch, at risk to her own life.' Christopher Mellor-Hill, head of client liaison at Noonans, added: 'The sale of a Dickin Medal is always hugely emotive and this story is no different reflecting bravery and courage as well as emphasising the great British tradition of the almost human-like relationship that dogs have for us and others.' In December 2024, the Dickin Medal awarded to Antis the dog who flew in over 30 wartime combat missions was reunited with his master's family after a £60,000 sale. Antis the Alsatian loyally sat next to his owner Czech airman Robert Bozdech in the turret of a Wellington bomber for operations over Nazi-occupied Europe. He was twice wounded in action; once by shrapnel over Kiel and then when a shell exploded under his aircraft during a raid on Hannover. Antis was the only dog who flew in World War Two operations and his medal had left the Bozdech family when a private collector bought it in 1994. In October 2022, the Dickin Medal for an SAS dog who did over 20 parachute jumps behind enemy lines in World War Two sold for a record £140,000 at Noonans. Rob, a black and white collie-retriever from a Shropshire farm, was involved in the North African campaign and sabotage missions in Italy.
