Latest news with #Ahmedabad
The Guardian
an hour ago
- General
- The Guardian
Air India finds ‘no issues' with fuel switches on other Boeings after crash
Air India has said it found 'no issues' with the fuel switches on its other Boeing planes after the fatal crash that killed 260 people last month, as a US report suggested investigators have turned their attention to the actions of the plane's captain. A preliminary report into the incident, released last week, found that the switches that controlled fuel going into the engines had been turned off 'one after another' just after the plane took off from Ahmedabad airport. It meant the engines were starved of fuel, causing them to shut down. Moments afterwards, the London-bound plane lost altitude and crashed, killing 241 people on board and 19 people on the ground. The preliminary report, by India's aviation authority, made no recommendations for action against Boeing, which manufactures the 787 Dreamliner. However, after the report's release, Air India ordered that the locking mechanisms of all fuel control switches – designed to prevent them from being accidentally turned off in-flight – on its Boeing planes be examined as a precautionary measure. On Thursday, an official from Air India confirmed that 'inspections have been completed and no issues were found'. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), an early assessment made by US officials indicated that investigators were now focusing on the actions of the plane's captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot who it said is believed to have been the one who moved the fuel switches to cut off. The black-box recording is reported to indicate that it was the plane's first officer, Clive Kunder, who was flying the aircraft during take-off and had questioned why the pilot had moved the fuel switches to cut off. Sabharwal had replied that he had not. The WSJ cited what it said were people familiar with US officials' early assessment of evidence uncovered in the crash investigation as saying that Kunder, the first officer, had panicked, while the captain had remained calm. The sources cited by the WSJ did not state if the action was believed to be deliberate or accidental. It was reported that US officials believed criminal investigators should also be involved in looking into the incident. The WSJ did not name the sources it interviewed and Indian authorities have not attributed any fault in their preliminary investigation. India's preliminary report had summarised the exchange between the pilot and the first officer but had not attributed the quotes. A direct transcript of the recorded discussion has not yet been published by officials. The fuel switches were moved back on seconds after, and one of the engines restarted, but it was not enough to reverse the plane's deceleration. A 'mayday, mayday, mayday' message was transmitted to air traffic control before the plane hit the ground, just 32 seconds after it had left the runway. The Federation of Indian Pilots strongly criticised the WSJ report as 'baseless', accusing it of attempting to blame the pilot. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion After the release of the report last week, India's civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said people should not 'jump to conclusions', citing the welfare and wellbeing of India's pilots. Two groups representing pilots condemned the suggestion that pilot error or action could be the cause of the crash as 'reckless and unfounded insinuation'. A report in the Indian Express said investigators were examining previous technical glitches with the plane, to explore the possibility of an 'uncommanded transition' of the fuel control switches. Relatives of the 241 passengers who died on board the Gatwick-bound flight have expressed frustration at the 'vague and inexact' preliminary report. In an email to staff after the report, Air India's chief executive, Campbell Wilson, acknowledged the report had 'opened additional questions' but urged staff to 'avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over'.
Globe and Mail
7 hours ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Sandeep Choudhary's Vision for Earth Hits Global Stage: Live Case Study Premiere Set for July 24
Sandeep Choudhary, President of the India Chapter of Save Earth Mission, is set to unveil what is being called the 'biggest case study on Earth' on July 24, 2025, live on First India News at 8 PM IST. Recognized for leading a record-breaking plantation of over 500,000 trees in one hour, Choudhary is widely praised for blending climate action with spiritual insight. His birthday on July 15 was marked globally with plantation drives across India, UAE, Thailand, Kenya. AHMEDABAD, INDIA - As the global climate crisis intensifies and demands urgent action, one name continues to echo across continents: Sandeep Choudhary, President of the India Chapter of Save Earth Mission. A transformational leader, spiritual thinker, and climate activist, Choudhary is now set to take center stage on July 24, 2025, with the live global unveiling of what many are calling the 'biggest case study on Earth.' The presentation will be broadcast live on First India News from 8 PM IST, with additional streams available on YouTube and Facebook (@firstindiatv). With millions already inspired by his ground-breaking work, this upcoming presentation is expected to mark a historic turning point in the global climate movement. Under Choudhary's leadership, Save Earth Mission's India Chapter recently made international headlines by executing a record-breaking plantation drive, planting over 500,000 trees in just one hour —a feat applauded by global environmental bodies, NGOs, and sustainability pioneers. This massive movement is part of Save Earth Mission's visionary goal to plant 30 billion trees by 2040, leveraging advanced geotagging, real-time monitoring, and grassroots engagement across the globe. On July 15, supporters, environmentalists, and fans worldwide took part in celebrating Sandeep Choudhary's birthday by hosting plantation drives in multiple countries—including India, the UAE, Kenya, Thailand, and the United States —a reflection of the growing international momentum behind both the leader and the mission. What started as a symbolic gesture of gratitude evolved into a powerful demonstration of collective environmental action. Choudhary's rise to global prominence has not gone unnoticed on digital platforms either. His name continues to trend regularly on X (formerly Twitter) in countries such as India, the UAE, and the United States, with thousands discussing his disruptive views on energy, consciousness, and the path to planetary balance. His thought-provoking insights—such as decoding the mysterious AI171 plane incident and the spiritual significance of the numbers 3,6,9 —have sparked wide conversations across scientific, metaphysical, and grassroots communities. Now, all eyes turn to Ahmedabad as anticipation builds for July 24. Sources close to Save Earth Mission suggest that the case study will go far beyond environmental statistics. It will showcase an integrated blueprint that combines climate technology, universal energy codes, geospatial analytics, and spiritual awareness —designed to heal Earth through unified action. More than just a presentation, this moment is expected to set a new precedent for how humanity can blend ancient wisdom and futuristic tools to reverse ecological damage and create a sustainable path forward. As the world seeks hope, solutions, and leadership, Sandeep Choudhary stands ready to deliver a message that could redefine our collective future.
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Air India finds ‘no issues' with fuel switches on other Boeings after crash
Air India has said it found 'no issues' with the fuel switches on its other Boeing planes after the fatal crash that killed 260 people last month, as a US report suggested investigators have turned their attention to the actions of the plane's captain. A preliminary report into the incident, released last week, found that the switches that controlled fuel going into the engines had been turned off 'one after another' just after the plane took off from Ahmedabad airport. It meant the engines were starved of fuel, causing them to shut down. Moments afterwards, the London-bound plane lost altitude and crashed, killing 241 people on board and 19 people on the ground. The preliminary report, by India's aviation authority, made no recommendations for action against Boeing, which manufactures the 787 Dreamliner. However, after the report's release, Air India ordered that the locking mechanisms of all fuel control switches – designed to prevent them from being accidentally turned off in-flight – on its Boeing planes be examined as a precautionary measure. On Thursday, an official from Air India confirmed that 'inspections have been completed and no issues were found'. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), an early assessment made by US officials has indicated that investigators are now focusing on the actions of the plane's captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot, who it said is believed to have been the one who moved the fuel switches to cut-off. The black-box recording is reported to indicate that it was the plane's first officer, Clive Kunder, who was flying the aircraft during take-off and had questioned why the pilot had moved the fuel switches to cut off. Sabharwal had replied that he had not. The WSJ cited what it said were people familiar with US officials' early assessment of evidence uncovered in the crash investigation as saying that Kunder, the first officer, had panicked, while the captain had remained calm. The sources cited by the WSJ did not state if the action was believed to be deliberate or accidental. It was reported that US officials believed that criminal investigators should also be involved to look into the incident. The WSJ did not name the sources it interviewed and Indian authorities have not attributed any fault in their preliminary investigation. India's preliminary report had summarised the exchange between the pilot and the first officer but had not attributed the quotes. A direct transcript of the recorded discussion has not yet been published by officials. The fuel switches were moved back on seconds after, and one of the engines re-started, but it was not enough to reverse the plane's deceleration. A 'mayday, mayday, mayday' message was transmitted to air traffic control before the plane hit the ground, just 32 seconds after it had left the runway. The Federation of Indian Pilots strongly criticised the WSJ report as 'baseless', accusing it of attempting to pin the blame on the pilot. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion After the release of the report last week, India's civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said that people should not 'jump to conclusions' after the report, citing the welfare and wellbeing of India's pilots. Two groups represented pilots also condemned the suggestion of a pilot error or action to be the cause of the crash as a 'reckless and unfounded insinuation'. A report in the Indian Express said that investigators were also examining previous technical glitches with the plane, to explore the possibility of an 'un-commanded transition' of the fuel control switches. Relatives of the 241 passengers who died on board the London Gatwick bound flight have expressed frustration at the preliminary report, which was accused of being 'vague and inexact'. In an email to staff after the report, Air India chief executive Campbell Wilson acknowledged the report had 'opened additional questions' but urged staff to 'avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over'.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Air India pilot reportedly questioned captain in cockpit before crash
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Shweta Sharma Thursday 17 July 2025 14:27 BST Air India flight 'was doomed' without sufficient power, explains Simon Calder An initial analysis of the Air India flight's cockpit voice recorder reportedly reveals the co-pilot questioned the captain about turning off the plane's fuel supply switches. First officer Clive Kunder was at the controls of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner during take-off when the crash occurred, and reportedly asked Captain Sumeet Sabharwal about the fuel switches. The crash, which happened shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, resulted in 241 fatalities on board and 19 on the ground, with only one passenger surviving. The Federation of Indian Pilots criticised the preliminary official report, accusing it of selectively using paraphrased recordings to prematurely blame the flight crew without conclusive evidence. The incident has reignited discussions regarding the installation of video cameras in cockpits, a measure generally opposed by pilots but supported by aviation safety experts. In full
National Post
11 hours ago
- General
- National Post
Air India plane crash: Junior pilot asked captain why he turned off fuel switches
A cockpit voice recording of doomed Air India Flight 171 indicates the younger co-pilot asked his more experienced colleague why he turned off the plane's fuel-supply switches, according to people familiar with the matter. Article content The information, from people who asked not to be identified because they're not authorized to speak publicly, reveals for the first time who said what in the flight deck. The exchange was first mentioned in last week's preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau probing the June 12 crash in the western city of Ahmedabad, but without identifying the speakers. Article content Article content Article content The report had shown two fuel switches in the cockpit were moved to a cut-off position, causing the Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliner to lose lift and crash 32 seconds after takeoff. The other pilot had denied turning off the switches, according to the AAIB, which had extracted data from the cockpit voice recorder. Article content Article content Aviation experts had speculated that it was first officer Clive Kunder who had posed the question to captain Sumeet Sabharwal given Kunder was the pilot flying and would have had his hands full — one on the yoke commanding the widebody into the skies, and the other on the throttle controlling the aircraft's speed. The Wall Street Journal previously reported who said what in the exchange. Article content The initial investigation showed that the fuel-control switches were turned off immediately after the plane departed. While the move was reversed about 10 seconds later, it was too late to avert the June 12 crash that killed 260 people on board the plane and on the ground. Article content Article content Article content How and why the switches came to be turned off — cutting the flow of fuel to the engines — are now the key lines of inquiry for investigators. Officials are probing whether it could be the result of a failure of the plane's systems or human error. Article content The two switches sit at the lower end of the aircraft's center console between the two pilot seats and near the thrust levers, and they're designed in a way to prevent unintended movement. There are metal guards on either side of the mushroom-shaped knobs, and the switches themselves have a spring-loaded locking mechanism, requiring a pilot to pull them up before changing the position. Once moved, the switches lock in the run or cutoff position with a tab at their base. Article content While the new details add fresh perspective on the confusion in the cockpit during the 32 seconds between takeoff and crash, investigators still haven't drawn any definitive conclusions. Article content
