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India Gazette
3 hours ago
- General
- India Gazette
People offer prayers across India for victims of London-bound Air India plane crash
New Delhi [India], June 14 (ANI): The entire nation mourns the tragic loss of lives in the London-bound Air India plane crash that occurred in Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing 241 out of 242 people on board, including crew members, and others. The incident shook the country, triggering condolence meetings and prayer ceremonies in multiple states. In Uttarakhand's Haridwar, hundreds of people gathered on the banks of Ganga river to offer prayers for the deceased. Locals and priests performed rituals and lit lamps as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in the horrific crash. In Tamil Nadu, members of the Rameswaram People's Protection Council paid heartfelt homage to the victims at Agni Theertham beach in Pamban. Flowers were floated into the sea, and silence was observed to remember the passengers and crew who died in the crash. In Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, the King George Medical University (KGMU) held a solemn condolence meeting to honour the memory of those who perished. University officials and students came together to express grief and observe a moment of silence. On Thursday, the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London's Gatwick had crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad international airport. The airlines said only one person out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls. Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter, and heavy black smoke began emanating from the accident site. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board the crashed plane, airline authorities said. (ANI)
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Air India 787-8 accident - What we know so far
-- A Boeing (NYSE:BA) 787-8 operated by Air India crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, raising questions about engine performance as investigators begin examining the cause of the fatal accident. The aircraft, powered by GE Aerospace's GEnx-1B engines, went down just beyond the airport perimeter following a mayday call, according to Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India's aviation body. There were no reports of adverse weather, and both pilots, identified as Captain Sumit Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, were experienced. Flight tracking data showed a sluggish climb followed by a sudden descent, consistent with a potential engine failure. Aviation experts cited in local media have raised the possibility of a bird strike affecting one or both engines. GE is reportedly sending a technical team to support the investigation, CNBC India reported. The nearly 14-year-old aircraft entered service in 2011 and had no known history of serious incidents. While Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the GEnx engine have generally maintained strong safety records, the crash has drawn scrutiny to both amid rising focus on aviation safety in the industry. Structural concerns related to fuselage joins on some 787s and unrelated component issues reported in the past are not believed to be linked to this crash, according to Bernstein analysts. The aircraft's maintenance history has not yet been disclosed. Authorities have begun an official investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Related articles Air India 787-8 accident - What we know so far Brookfield Infrastructure reportedly acquiring Hotwire for $7 billion Nvidia GTC Paris is 'another bullish proof point' long term - Morgan Stanley
Canada Standard
9 hours ago
- General
- Canada Standard
WTC Final: South African, Australian players wearing black armbands to pay respect for people who lost their lives in tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad
London [UK] June 13 (ANI): South African and Australian players are wearing black armbands and observed a minute of silence before the start of Day 3 in the World Test Championship Final, at the Home of Cricket Lord's on Friday, to pay respect to the people who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, went down at 1:38 PM on Thursday near Ahmedabad airport. The Air India flight with 242 people onboard, including 12 crew members, rammed into a doctors' hostel in the Meghani area shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the doctors' hostel near the airport perimeter. Air India said that among the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian national. Indian players are also wearing black armbands, and a minute of silence was observed on Friday before the start of the Intra-squad match in Beckenham for the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. BCCI posted on their X handle, 'The players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands. A minute's silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the affected families.' Earlier, Air India confirmed that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hours, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. 241 people were killed in the crash. The aircraft was under the command of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. (ANI)
Wales Online
14 hours ago
- General
- Wales Online
First pictures of Air India crash pilots who issued desperate mayday call before disaster
First pictures of Air India crash pilots who issued desperate mayday call before disaster Air India flight AI171 crashed just seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad Airport in India with 241 people on board Some of the remains of the aircraft that crashed yesterday (Image: CISF via AP ) The pilots of the Air India flight involved in a tragic crash which led to 241 fatalities have been pictured as details of their chilling mayday call emerge. According to the air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the flight left from the airport's runway 23 at 1.39pm local time (9.09am BST). Soon after the take-off, the crew aboard the plane issued a "mayday" distress call. However, subsequent contact attempts with the aircraft went unanswered, India's aviation regulatory body said. Flightradar24, the flight monitoring service, has said it observed a signal loss from the plane mere moments after take off. Tragically, before the aircraft crashed into a residential area soon after ascent, the experienced Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 flight hours, along with First Officer Clive Kundar who had clocked up 1,100 hours, issued the distress signal. With urgency, the captain broadcasted: " thrust, losing power, unable to lift." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Captain Sumeet Sabharwal who issued the mayday call prior to the tragic crash Despite their efforts, the pilots couldn't regain control as the aircraft plunged to the ground just 1.5 miles from the runway edge, in Meghani Nagar - a crowded neighbourhood in Gujarat, reports the Mirror. Article continues below Tragically, Air India revealed that of the 242 individuals on board flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, only Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived when the plane met with disaster on 12 June 2025. The airline shared in a statement on X: "Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. First Officer Clive Kundar who was also on the plane "The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin. "Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident. "Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Those calling from outside India can call on +91 8062779200." According to the Aviation Safety Network database, this is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Boeing has stated they are "working to gather more information". The previous significant passenger plane accident in India occurred in 2020 when an Air India Express Boeing-737 overran a hilltop runway in southern India, resulting in 21 fatalities. India's most catastrophic air disaster took place on 12 November 1996, when a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight collided midair with a Kazakhstan Airlines Flight near Charki Dadri in Haryana state, claiming the lives of all 349 people aboard both aircraft. Article continues below
Canada Standard
14 hours ago
- General
- Canada Standard
Air India Plane Crash: Indian High Commission in UK issues emergency number for relatives of passengers
London [UK], June 12 (ANI): The Indian High Commission in the UK has released an emergency number for relatives of passengers who were onboard the Air India Flight AI171, which crashed in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Thursday. It asked people to use this number only for emergency visa-related queries about the next of kin. The Indian High Commission in the UK stated that people can call on emergency numbers issued by Air India and India's Ministry of Civil Aviation for all other queries. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. One survivor has been found in the deadly crash of an Air India plane that rammed into a nearby doctors' hostel shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, a senior police officer said. In a statement shared on X, the Indian High Commission in the UK stated, 'Following the tragic accident involving Air India Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, next of kin or relatives of any passengers on board can contact us on our emergency number 07768765035 with regard to emergency visa assistance to travel to India if needed.' 'Please use this number only for emergency visa-related queries of next of kin. For all other queries, including for information about the tragedy, please use the emergency numbers of Air India (1800 5691 444) and India's Ministry of Civil Aviation (011-24610843, 09650391859). Please Note: To ensure that those in need of assistance have priority, Media are urged to not call on the above number. Please refer instead to our official social media handles,' it added. Air India said that among the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian national. 'Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hours, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident,' the airline said. The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal is an LTC with 8200 hours of experience. The official added that the copilot had 1100 hours of flying per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. The official said that heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site. Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has mobilised three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 90 personnel, from Gandhinagar to the crash site to aid rescue operations. The Ahmedabad City Police has released an emergency helpline number for assistance and information related to the crash. 'Ahmedabad City Police Emergency Number for Police Emergency Services and necessary information related to the Ahmedabad Plane Crash 07925620359,' Ahmedabad Police stated in a post on X. (ANI)
