Union Minister Sanjay Seth interacts with NCC Mount Everest expedition team after their successful summit
ANI
11 Jun 2025, 23:14 GMT+10
New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth interacted with the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Mount Everest Expedition team in New Delhi on Wednesday, after the team successfully scaled Mount Everest on May 18, 2025. During the interaction, the cadets shared their experiences from the expedition, highlighting the planning, training and challenges faced during the climb.
Sanjay Seth lauded the efforts and teamwork of the cadets for their incredible feat.
The feat marked the third successful Everest expedition by the NCC, following similar accomplishments in 2013 and 2016. The expedition team comprised ten cadets, five boys and five girls, with an average age of just 19 years, many of whom were novice climbers.
They were supported by a contingent of officers, junior commissioned officers, instructors and non-commissioned officers, making it a well-coordinated and professionally managed mission. The expedition was flagged off by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh from New Delhi on April 03, 2025. (ANI)
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Hindustan Times
40 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Dreamliner Disaster: At least 260 people dead in India's worst aviation tragedy
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Thick plumes of black smoke billowed from the debris of AI-171 at the crash site roughly 3kmfrom the Ahmedabad airport premises even as visuals showed heaps of charred bodies laying on the ground and parts of the mangled fuselage scattered in the mud. 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X. Shah and civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu rushed to Ahmedabad to oversee relief-and-rescue operations. Among those dead was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. Also Read: Miracle survivor of Air India crash was in 11A, often called 'most hated' seat on flights The aircraft – which carried almost a full load of 125,000 litres of fuel – entered a slow descent shortly after taking off at 1.38pm, with its landing gear still extended before exploding into a huge fireball upon impact. The twin-engine plane had reached an altitude of 625 feet (190.5 meters) at a speed of 174 knots, according to data from Flightradar24. 'As soon as the flight took off, within 30 seconds it crashed. There was no warning from the pilot or the crew members about the crash. When I found myself alive after the crash, I saw bodies ripped apart…My leg was injured but I ran as fast as I could,' said Viswash Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the crash who was in seat 11A. Also Read: Boeing shares fall 4.2 per cent after deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad At the crash site, the tail cone of the aircraft with damaged stabilizer fins still attached to it was lodged near the top of the BJ Medical College building. Parts of the jet appeared to have slammed into the dining hall and mess of the institution. 'While four MBBS students living in the hostel died, 19 were injured. Five of them are serious. Two third-year students are untraceable,' college dean Minakshi Parikh told reporters.'A doctor's wife was also killed.' Air India said the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese and one Canadian. The flight was operated by captain Sumit Sabharwal, a resident of Mumbai who had 8,200 flight hours under his belt, along with first officer Clive Kunder, a resident of Mumbai who had 1,100 flight hours of training. 'I heard a loud thud. I thought it was an earthquake but when I ran outside, I saw parts of a plane and lots of smoke,' said MS Prajapati, 45, who lives 200 metres away from the crash site. 'For the next hour, I couldn't see anything…the sky was black,' added Parajapti, who works as a driver at a private firm. Large chunks of the plane's wing were seen lying on the road, its inner green frame exposed and twisted, while other parts of the wreckage struck the hostel building itself. The buildings, tall dark grey structures with a modern façade, bore visible damage. Smoke stains scarred parts of the exterior, while several upper-floor windows were shattered. Scorched trees lined the area, their branches blackened from the fireball that followed the crash. Naidu said, 'Just visited the crash site in Ahmedabad what I witnessed was deeply distressing. I'm on the ground, closely reviewing rescue and relief from DGCA, AAI, Air India, NDRF, and local administration are working round-the-clock. We're doing everything we can to support the victims and their families in this tragic hour.' The families of those aboard the plane were shrouded in grief and shock. 'Neeraj had called me on Thursday morning and informed me that he was in the cab on the way to Ahmedabad with his wife Aparna because both were to board the flight for London later in the day. They were on holiday and excited, but by evening all changed,' said Satish Lavania, a resident of Agra who lost two members of his family. HT spoke to multiple experts on the possible scenarios that may have unfolded in the moments before the crash and while each of them cautioned that early clues were insufficient to draw conclusions, they agreed that the profile of the flight in its final moments — maintaining a nose-up attitude while descending – was consistent with sudden, severe power loss. It was the first fatal crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on Thursday flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said. A senior state government official confirmed that the aircraft first struck a tree before hitting the first building of the hostel complex, then slamming into a second building where it broke apart. The impact caused the roofs of both buildings to collapse, injuring several undergraduate and postgraduate medical students who were present during lunch hour. As night fell, rescuers raced against time to sift through the wreckage to identify and pull bodies out. 'Six of our teams are at the spot. They are working with the other agencies on the ground. If need be, more teams will be pressed to the spot,' said NS Bundela, inspector general of the National Disaster Relief Force. Condolences and offers of support poured in from around the world. The US National Transportation Safety Board said it would lead a team of U.S. investigators travelling to India to help in the investigation. 'I let them know, anything we can do, we'll be over there immediately,' US President Donald Trump said. Britain was working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country's foreign office said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said images emerging of the crash were 'devastating', and that he was being kept informed as the situation developed. The last fatal plane crash in India, the world's third largest aviation market and its fastest growing, was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm. The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a 'table-top' runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground. The last time India suffered a tragedy of this magnitude was in 1996, when a Saudia Boeing 747 (Flight SV 763) climbing from Delhi collided mid-air with a descending Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 (Flight KZ 1907). All 349 passengers and crew aboard both planes perished — the deadliest mid-air collision in aviation history.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Ahmedabad plane crash: Air India's Boeing 787 with 242 on board crashes minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport; 1 survivor
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who inspected the crash site, told reporters that the death toll 'would be officially declared by the authorities concerned following DNA examination and identification of the passengers'. He said 'we have news of one passenger surviving, I have just met him'. There were 24 casualties on the ground too because the aircraft went down on the premises of the BJ Medical College in the densely-populated Meghaninagar area, shortly after it took off at 1.39 pm from Runway 23 of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. At least five persons, including four medical students, were killed when the plane crashed into a hostel building of the medical college. Dr Minakshi Parikh, Dean, B J Medical College, said two more students were missing, while another 20 were injured. Five of the injured students were in a 'serious' condition, she said. The crash took place shortly after the Captain of the flight put out a Mayday distress call to Air Traffic Control. Communication was lost thereafter. According to officials, the flight 'crashed immediately after take-off and went up in flames'. Senior officials of Ahmedabad city police said the first responders had to deal with flames and billowing black smoke. 'Teams of the fire service department, police and corporation rushed to the spot to launch rescue operations. The exact number of casualties are not yet known but several charred bodies have been retrieved and injured people rushed to the civil hospital… The injured have serious burns… The plane had just taken off with a full fuel tank and this caused a massive explosion,' a senior police officer said. At least six teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to the crash spot to join the rescue operations. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of different political parties expressed shock and grief over the crash. President Murmu, who called the crash 'a heart-rending disaster', said the nation was with the affected people 'in this hour of indescribable grief'. Dhankhar said the crash had left the nation dealing with 'a devastating human tragedy'. Modi said, 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.' Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, who too reached Ahmedabad to take stock of the situation, assured a fair and thorough investigation into the incident. Later, in a post on X, he said, 'Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).' Additionally, the government was constituting a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail and strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future, he said. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who was in Surat, rushed to Ahmedabad on learning about the crash while Gujarat BJP president and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil called off his visit to Vadodara to rush to Ahmedabad. According to available flight data, the aircraft had taken off to a barometric altitude of 625 feet and then descended vertically, crashing into the residential area within minutes. A statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, 'On 12th June, 2025, M/s Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB while operating flight AI-171 from (Ahmedabad to Gatwick) crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. Capt Sumeet Sabharwal is a LTC with 8200 Hrs of experience. The co-pilot had 1100 Hrs of flying experience.' 'As per ATC, aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft to calls made by ATC. Aircraft, immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site,' the DGCA said. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Air India, said, 'With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.' 'At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted,' he said. Following the crash, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport announced operational closure until further notice. A statement from SVPIA said, 'Flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London, Gatwick, earlier today, was involved in a crash shortly after takeoff, outside the airport. As a result, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, is currently not operational. All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport. We request your cooperation and patience as authorities manage this evolving situation.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Focus on farmers prosperity, UP minister urges agri scientists
1 2 Varanasi: Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Ramnath Thakur concluded his two-day visit to Varanasi on Thursday as part of the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a nationwide campaign to promote sustainable agricultural practices and advanced technologies. During the concluding function held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Kallipur, the minister urged agricultural scientists and officials to focus on farmer prosperity by reducing farming costs and working towards the goal of doubling farmers' income. He emphasized the need for communicating the latest agricultural innovations to farmers in a language they understand — directly in their fields. Addressing a gathering of farmers, the minister highlighted that sowing rice during the Rohini Nakshatra is considered auspicious and leads to better crop yields due to favorable climatic conditions. The campaign witnessed active participation from farmers across the region. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticulture), ICAR, New Delhi, directed officials to act firmly against the use of adulterated seeds and chemicals. He also stressed promoting diversified farming, including fruits, vegetables, pulses, oilseeds, animal husbandry, and fisheries. Colonel Bijendra Singh, Vice Chancellor of Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, highlighted that Uttar Pradesh's agricultural productivity lags behind states like Punjab. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unfriendliest Countries in the World, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo He advised farmers to adopt practices such as timely sowing, field leveling, correct seed rates, and incorporating green manure crops like dhaincha and sunhemp to restore organic matter in soil. Water-saving techniques like sprinkler and drip irrigation and mulching were also recommended. Additionally, beekeeping was encouraged to boost crop yields by 15–20%. As part of the visit, the ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), organized field visits to demonstrate Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology and other climate-smart agricultural innovations. The minister visited the ISARC exhibition stalls, where he was briefed on climate-resilient rice varieties, rice-based nutritional products, and farmer-friendly technologies tailored for small appreciated ISARC's efforts in offering scalable and eco-friendly farming solutions suitable for regional conditions. 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 .
