‘Feeling Strange...': Woman's Last Words To Husband Before London-Bound Air India Flight Crash
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Yasmin's two sons, settled in London, were expecting the children, and she had planned a 5-6 month stay for their baby showers.
Ahmedabad plane Crash: The devastating Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad earlier this week, which claimed over 260 lives, has thrown up various untold and heartbreaking stories.
Among the deceased, one family was of a 51-year-old woman Yasmin Vohra, along with nephew Pervez Vohra, 30, and his 4-year-old daughter, Zuveriya, who had postponed her flight to London from June 9 to June 12 to be at side with her two pregnant daughters-in-law in London, as per the media reports.
The journey was meant to be a joyful family reunion and the beginning of a new chapter, but her plans ended in unimaginable tragedy.
Yasmin, a native of Vadodara, boarded Air India Flight AI171 on Thursday afternoon, along with her family. Shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical hostel, claiming over 270 lives.
'Yasmin, originally scheduled to fly on June 9, extended her ticket to the 12th to travel with Pervez and Zuveriya, who were from Thasra," said Yasin, Yasmin's husband from Vadodara.
Yasmin's two sons, settled in London, were expecting the children, and she had planned a 5-6 month stay for their baby showers.
Yasin dropped her off at the airport. 'Just before takeoff, Yasmin called me, expressing anxiety about the non-functioning AC and a strange feeling, to which I had reassured her it would start," he said.
Their granddaughters still ask for Yasmin. 'Where is Dadi? Where are our gifts?" they wonder. Yasin said that he doesn't have the heart to tell them the truth.
India witnessed one of its worst aviation tragedies on Thursday after a London-bound Air India plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, crashed into a medical college complex shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport.
One person survived the tragedy. The lone survivor was identified as Indian-origin British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh who was returning to the UK with his brother Ajay Kumar Rakesh, 45, who was in a different row inside the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
The aircraft had 232 passengers and 10 crew members, including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese and a Canadian, on board.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement said the aircraft piloted by captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours of experience and first officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours of experience made a mayday call just before the crash.
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The Print
43 minutes ago
- The Print
Clinging to memories & awaiting closure, 2 families wait for bodies of loved ones lost in Air India crash
Though the process of identifying and handing out bodies is on, the wait is becoming tougher for Rafiq and Salma Memon. Same is the case with Ashvin Dhiru and Lalita Cana. The relatives of British nationals Syed Javed Ali, his wife Mariyam and their children and Portuguese citizens Devji Lacmane and Vanita Cana are now among those waiting to claim the bodies of their loved ones. Ahmedabad: One couple and their two children had arrived in India to celebrate Eid, the other to attend the Kumbh Mela. They had no inkling that this would be their last trip—the two families were among the passengers of the ill-fated Air India flight AI171. 'Today is our third day at the hospital waiting for the bodies (of Syed Javed Ali and his family), but there is no information from the administration,' said Rafiq Memon, with a tear in his eyes. Ali's elder brother Syed Imtiaj Ali drove a car to Ahmedabad from Mumbai to give the DNA sample that very day. The rest of the family members came by a train the next day. Rafiq conceded that he had no issue with waiting. 'But we need the right dead bodies as most of them are beyond recognition. Time lagega, hum wait karne ko tayyar hai (It will take time, we are ready to wait),' he told ThePrint Ali had gone to London to pursue a hotel management course a decade ago. At his work place, he met Mariyam and later got married. Subsequently, he had taken British citizenship. The couple had two children, Zayn and Amani. Rafiq said his maternal nephew had arrived 6 June to meet his mother Farida Bano, who has been ill for the past few months. 'He came for only six days, her mother was very happy to see him. She loved her very much,' he said, adding that Ali used to transfer money for medical treatment. 'For the first time, the entire family had come to India. We never imagined this would happen.' said Memon, adding that Ali had lost his father several years ago. 'From that time, they all were brought up at my home in Goregaon.' The family, he said, hasn't informed the mother about the tragedy. 'We decided to inform her once we get his body. Jo jaane vale thae vo chale gaye, jo zinda hai unko ab dekhna hai (Those who were to depart are gone, we have to take care of those remaining behind),' he said. The Memon family is staying at a guest house in Ahmedabad. ThePrint had reported earlier that the Gujarat government has arranged stay for the affected families. 'Hum apne gam mein hi itne pareshan thae ki khud se hi sara arrange kia, sarkari vyasvastha ka pata hi nahi chala (We were lost in our grief, we didn't know about the government arrangement,' Rafiq said. Also Read: Grief transcends barriers as Hindu, Muslim civil groups work 24/7 to serve Air India crash victims' kin Phone calls & endless wait At the Kasauti Bhavan of College, London-based Ashvin Dhiru and Lalita Cana are anxious as it is Day 3 since the plane crash. Every time the phone rings, they eagerly pick up the call thinking it is from the administration only to be disappointed. 'Phone ka wait kar rahe hain. Hume pata chala hai ki kuch bodies identify hui hain (We are waiting for the call. Heard that some bodies have been identified),' said Ashvin, the son-in-law of Devji Lacmane and Vanita Cana. The middle-aged couple was from Diu but later took up Portuguese citizenship. Their children—three sons and one daughter—are all based in the UK, Ashvin said. Devji and his wife had come during the Kumbh Mela, he told ThePrint. 'They wanted to attend the mela and also came for medical treatment. For the last six months, they were in India.' Ashvin along with 15 other family members are staying at a hotel arranged by the Diu government for the affected families. Vanita Cana's sister Lalita Cana was yet to come to terms with the loss. 'I have lost my younger sister. She lived happily in the UK,' a teary Lalita said. When the family got news of the crash, they took a flight to India. 'On the 13th (June), the DNA sample was collected and we were told to wait for the next 72 hours,' Ashvin said. On Thursday afternoon, the London-bound Air India plane crashed near the Ahmedabad airport soon after take-off. Of the 242 people, including crew members, on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, only one survived the crash. There were 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national among the Air India passengers. The lone survivor is a British national of Indian origin. DNA tests are on to identify the bodies, most of which are charred beyond recognition. The Gujarat government has formed 230 teams to establish contact with the families of the victims of the plane crash. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: This Air India crash eyewitness cheated death by a whisker—'a blast, then a fireball, just 200 m away'
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on Security Council of the United Nations, Tel Aviv and more (Week 114)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on International Relations to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Consider the following countries: 1. Argentina 2. Bolivia 3. Brazil 4. Chile 5. Peru 6. Colombia Which of the above countries forms the Lithium triangle? (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 6 (c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 4, 5 and 6 Explanation — Because lithium-ion batteries are constructed of rare and expensive materials like cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium, technological companies throughout the world have been exploring alternatives. Sodium has numerous advantages: it is far more abundant than lithium and can be extracted from seawater at relatively lower costs, unlike lithium, where availability is concentrated in a few countries and mining includes hard-rock excavations in regions other than the Li-triangle comprising Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile; and sodium is more environmentally friendly and can be transported at zero volt, making it safer, unlike lithium, which is less environmentally friendly. Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer. The places Haifa, Kirya, Tel Aviv were in the news. They are located in: (a) Syria (b) Iran (c) Israel (d) Lebanon Explanation — As Israel and Iran swapped missiles as their war escalated, a CNN-verified video captured the moment an Iranian missile landed near a vital military base in Tel Aviv. — Iran unleashed a volley of missiles at Israel, with sirens heard throughout the country as Tehran targeted Israel's port city Haifa. Five people were reportedly killed in the assault. — The footage, captured by a witness from an adjacent structure, shows many interceptor projectiles being launched into the night sky. Seconds later, a missile strikes the ground near Kirya, causing a tremendous explosion and sending plumes of smoke upward. Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer. Consider the following statements: 1. It is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. 2. It is situated near Turkey and Syria. 3. It is a member of the European Union (EU) despite being geographically in Asia. 4. The island nation gained independence from the British in 1960. The above mentioned statements refer to: (a) Cyprus (b) Greece (c) Lebanon (d) Israel Explanation — Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Cyprus on June 15 for the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also see him visit Canada for the G7 summit and then Croatia. About Cyprus — Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, near Turkey and Syria. 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Turkey Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1, 4 and 5 (b) 1, 2 and 4 (c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 (d) 1, 4 and 6 Explanation — Just as global shipping lines and traders were beginning to breathe a sigh of relief from high freight rates, with vessels returning to the critical Red Sea route from the longer Cape of Good Hope passage, a direct conflict between two major West Asian powers reignited fears of rising oil prices and further trade disruptions. — The Red Sea borders the following coastal nations: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Sudan, Israel, Yemen and Jordan. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. (Other Source: Which of the following African countries is struggling with poor internet connectivity and has denied the Starlink services? (a) Niger (b) Sierra Leone (c) Zimbabwe (d) Bolivia Explanation — Websites load at a low speed. Video streams glitch and freeze. 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Operation Desert Sabre : Persian Gulf War 3. Operation Overlord : Israeli hostage rescue operation Which of the above given pairs is/are correctly matched? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Explanation — Ukraine carried out Operation Spider's Web, one of the most sophisticated drone operations in history, using 100–150 FPV drones, transported clandestinely in trucks deep into Russia. The target: five key Russian airfields. Ukrainian officials claim to have hit more than 40 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers like the Tu-22 and Tu-95, and inflicted losses of around $7 billion. — World leaders gather on the coast of southern England in 2019 to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history and a feat that helped bring World War Two to an end. 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As Hussain refused to pay heed to the UN's many warnings, a US-led coalition, consisting of 7 lakh troops from 35 countries assembled in Saudi Arabia — Iraq's neighbour also threatened by Hussain's adventures in the region. After the January 15 deadline was flouted by Baghdad, coalition forces first launched Operation Desert Storm, which destroyed Iraq's air defences, oil refineries, and key infrastructure. This was followed by Operation Desert Sabre, a ground offensive that went on to free Kuwait. The war finally ended on February 28, 1991, when the US declared a ceasefire. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 114) Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 114) Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 114) Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 114) Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 114) Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 113) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than four years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called 'Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik' and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called 'You Ask We Answer'.His talks on 'How to read a newspaper' focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University's Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women's Studies by the Women's Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on 'Psychological stress among students' at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Tech push for Pitripaksh Mela this time
Gaya: District magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar has put emphasis on the use of technology in this year's Pitripaksh Mela, set to take place from Sept 6 to Sept 21. In a review meeting held on Saturday with senior officials and stakeholders, the DM outlined plans to integrate digital tools for the convenience of visiting pilgrims. A key directive was to tag all 'pind vedis', ritual platforms used for offerings to ancestors, on Google Maps, enabling pilgrims to easily navigate to their desired sites. He also called for the integration of an artificial intelligence-based chatbot into the existing mobile app and portals. "These advanced technologies will help the tech-savvy pilgrims to solve language-related problems and trace the landmark of desired 'pind vedis'," he said. The administration has already launched a dedicated mobile application for pilgrims, which features detailed information on pind vedis, ponds and essential contacts. This includes local priests (Panda Ji), hotels, guesthouses, dharamshalas as well as district and police officers. The app also provides logistical details to help visitors reach Gaya Ji with ease. In addition to digital upgrades, physical preparations are also. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending Local Enterprise Accounting Software [Click Here] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo Desilting of the Gaya Ji dam began on Sunday to ensure clean water for ritual bathing. The DM also directed officials to clear silt from sites such as Saraswati, Dharmaranya and Pitamaheshwar along the Falgu river. Pilgrims typically perform tarpan at eight ponds and pinddaan at 52 pind vedis stretching from Pretshila in the north of Gaya Ji town to Bodh Gaya in the south. The expansion of ghats in recent years has led to a sharp rise in attendance with around 23 lakh pilgrims visiting last year. To ensure smooth organisation, the DM asked officials to form sub-committees for physical inspections and to hold weekly review meetings. A checklist will be prepared to monitor responsibilities across departments. Further instructions included the repair of roads, slabs and drain grills in the mela area; restarting the laser light show and fountain at Vaitarni pond; replacing broken tiles at Deoghat and ensuring the availability of drinking water, as well as cleaning and maintenance of toilets and changing rooms. The DM also called for the installation of additional power transformers, adequate lighting to eliminate dark spots and proper parking and accommodation arrangements to meet the needs of the large influx of visitors. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
