Scottish Indian community in mourning after plane crash kills 241 onboard
Members of the Indian community in Scotland are in mourning after a plane bound for London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.
Air India confirmed 241 of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were killed on Thursday, in one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who is 40-years-old and from the UK, is believed to be the only survivor.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has been in contact with Mr Ramesh to offer consular support, Downing Street said.
Investigators trying to establish the cause of the accident have found the black box from the Boeing 787.
Communities in Scotland have told STV News of their sadness following the disaster.
Tributes were paid at the Hindu Mandir in Glasgow, while at the Mahanji Centre of Benevolence in Huntly, mourners said the disaster feels 'very close to home'.
Madhu Jain, Hindu Mandir executive committee, said: 'I was just crying and crying. I could not believe that this has happened.
'I have to repeat myself and keep on listening to the news – this is such a terrible thing that has happened.
'There are lots of friends who were there on the plane.'
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the crash site on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Mr Ramesh in hospital.
There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise. At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured.
Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.
A Number 10 spokesman said the FCDO helpline set up as a result of the crash had received 'almost 300″ calls as of Friday morning.
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here's how experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
Investigators in India are trying to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers onboard. The flight, which had been bound for London Gatwick, came down shortly after taking off from the western city of Ahmadabad. With speculation rife about the cause of the disaster, safety experts will soon be joined by a team from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to work out what happened before the disaster on flight AI171 unfolded. According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1:39 p.m. (0809 GMT) from runway 23. It gave a Mayday call almost immediately, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft. Footage from the ground shows that the the plane was only in the air for around 30 seconds before it appeared to run into trouble, the BBC reports. The investigators will draw evidence – including radar, CCTV and crucially the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) – to understand what factors were involved in the accident, the first fatal one involving the Boeing 787. If there is evidence of a previously unknown problem that could jeopardise the safety of other aircraft, they will announce their initial conclusions as soon as possible. As always in the early stages of an investigation, aviation safety experts will consider a wide spectrum of possible contributory factors. These are the key areas they will be looking at. Bird strike Twin-engined aircraft like the Boeing 787 are engineered to be able to take off on a single engine, even if a bird strike happens at the worst possible moment. Could both engines have been put out of action as the Air India aircraft climbed? In the ' Miracle on the Hudson' plane crash in 2009, both engines of a US Air aircraft lost power shortly after take off from New York's La Guardia airport. On that occasion, the plane had gained more altitude and was able to crash-land on water, with all on board surviving. Mechanical issues As the investigators sift through the wreckage, they will be looking to see if there was some kind of failure, possibly involving power, that left the pilots helpless to control their aircraft in the crucial seconds after take off. Philip Baum, visiting professor of aviation security at Coventry University told The Independent it 'seems likely' the accident was caused by system or multiple systems failures. Human factors Taking off with a heavy load of fuel, passengers and cargo in hot weather is challenging at the best of times. Could these highly trained and experienced pilots have made decisions and taken actions that jeopardised the safety of the aircraft? A captain for a leading US carrier said some focus should be given to the flap settings – the moveable panels on an aircraft's wings – used for take-off for 'a heavy airplane on a hot day, and resulting poor performance which ultimately may have led to a stall'. Investigators will be examining the wreckage, the recorders and will also be delving into the background and health of the crew. Malicious act Tragically, over the years individuals and groups have repeatedly downed aircraft for reasons ranging from grudges to terrorism. But Professor Baum said it was 'unlikely there was anything more sinister at play'.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
King's Birthday Honours: What MBE, OBE and others mean
The honours celebrate individual outstanding achievements and contributions to British society. This year's list ranges from politicians, musicians and actors to senior diplomats and elite sports stars, all recognised for their field or perhaps services to charity. But what does each honour mean and how are people nominated? How the British honours system works The British honours system recognises people who have 'made achievements in public life' and 'committed themselves to serving and helping Britain'. This can range from volunteers, innovators, entrepreneurs or individuals across a range of fields, such as sport, education, business, the arts and media. Gallantry awards recognising bravery can also be given to members of the armed forces and the emergency services, as well as civilians. Any member of the public or an official body can nominate someone for an honour, with UK nationals and Commonwealth citizens eligible. People living or working overseas, whose achievements were made in another country or in the UK and have a significant international element, can be nominated too. Non-British or Commonwealth country citizens can also be considered for 'honorary' awards. The suitability of nominees is submitted to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat, before a group of 10 independent honours committees, each covering a specialist subject area such as sport or health, consider them. The recommendations of these groups of independent experts and senior civil servants are passed on to the Prime Minister and, ultimately, the King for approval. The Prime Minister helps to decide on the honours (Image: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire) The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) oversees the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List. Honours are revealed twice a year, at New Year and in June on the King's official birthday. Ceremonies to award medals are held later, about 30 times a year, at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and, occasionally, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and are hosted by senior royals. What MBE, OBE, CBE and others honours mean The honours ranking in descending order is as follows: Companions of Honour (CH) - for those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government Dame and Knights Grand Cross (GBE) - the highest rank in many of the orders Order of the Bath (GCB/KCB/DCB/CB) - recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) - recognises service in a foreign country or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs Knights and Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE) - typically for people who have made a major contribution at national level Knights Bachelor - an appointment, for men only, which originates from the medieval period Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - for those who have a prominent but lesser role at national level or a leading role at regional level Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - those who have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) - recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community with a significant long-term impact British Empire Medal (BEM) - reintroduced in 2012 by the then-prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system 'classless', saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. Who is on the King's Birthday Honours list? There are a number of famous faces recgonised in this year's King's Birthday Honours list. These include TV stars Claudia Winkleman and Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly, both awarded MBEs for services to broadcasting. Winkleman, 53, said she is "incredibly grateful" for honour. She added: 'It's a real privilege to work with extraordinarily talented people and I have only got this because of them. So this is for the BBC, the traitors and the faithful, for pianos and for the cha cha. 'I will buy a hat and am taking my mum. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble.' Various sports stars have been recognised too, including Sir David Beckham, and England darts players Luke Littler and Luke Humphries. David Beckham is set to receive a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours list! 🎖️ — Sky Sports (@SkySports) June 6, 2025 Sir David, who has been in the running for a knighthood for more than a decade, said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. 'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career, and literally a boyhood dream come true. 'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. Recommended reading: 'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. 'It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' Other stars recognised include The Who singer Roger Daltrey, actor Gary Oldman and former MP Penny Mordaunt.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Family of Air India crash survivor has flight cancelled
The family of Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, reports a lack of support from the UK and Indian governments. Fourteen family members have been unable to board a flight to Ahmedabad after their initial flight was cancelled and other airlines allegedly ignored their pleas. Hiren Kantilal, Ramesh's cousin, expressed the family's heartbreak and disappointment at the lack of governmental assistance with flight arrangements. The family is also grieving the death of Vishwash's brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, in the same Air India crash. Watch the video in full above.
