Latest news with #FlightAI‑171
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘No, Air India CEO is not an SIA nominee.' Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran hits back at Praful Patel, defends Singapore Airlines
NEW DELHI: Tata Group and Air India Chairperson N Chandrasekaran on Wednesday hit back at former civil aviation minister Praful Patel who had raised questions over the culpability of Singapore Airlines (SIA) in June 12's fatal Air India Flight AI‑171 crash. The Tata top boss came out in strong defence of SIA, which is a partner of Air India, while pledging transparency and enhanced safety oversight. On Wednesday morning, Patel in a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter), termed SIA's public silence as 'deafening'. The former civil aviation minister pointed out that in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad crash, 'there remains a surprising silence — or perhaps ignorance — about the role of a substantial shareholder, and the entity responsible for maintaining a large number, if not all, of Air India's wide-body aircraft.' 'They seem to be in hiding' In a no-holds-barred attack on SIA, the 68-year-old Rajya Sabha member accused the airline of playing a behind-the-scenes role in the crash that killed over 270 people in Ahmedabad on June 12 and wrote, 'They seem to be in hiding.' 'Let's not forget — they have a say in management and a codeshare agreement with Air India,' he captioned his tweet. He categorically questioned whether 'Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Air India, is a nominee of Singapore Airlines,' implying SIA had undue influence and responsibility. 'No, Air India CEO is not an SIA nominee.' Hours after his tweet, N Chandrasekaran, via an interview to television channel Times Now, refuted these claims. 'No, the CEO is not a nominee of Singapore Airlines. In fact, when he was hired by me, he had to quit Singapore Airlines and join Air India as an employee,' he said. The 62-year-old Tata Group Chairman emphasised that SIA held no stake at that point, and Tata was the sole owner and only later acquired a 25 per cent share following the Vistara merger in 2022. Campbell Wilson, #AirIndia's MD & CEO, traveled to Ahmedabad to visit the B. J. Medical College crash site and nearby treatment centers for survivors. He expressed profound sorrow and underscored the airline's full cooperation with authorities.📸 ©️Air India#AI171 #India Acknowledging SIA as a 'great partner', he mentioned that the international carrier has 'helped us in many dimensions… best‑in‑class benchmarks…and their CEO is in constant touch with me.' He also went on to say that the aircraft in question — with new engines installed in 2023 and 2025 — was serviced jointly by Air India Engineering Services and SIA Engineering Company, categorically quashing any claims about Turkish Technic's involvement. Air India MD & CEO Campbell Wilson on the Air India AI-171 crash, operating Ahmedabad (AMD)-London Gatwick (LGW), that had 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals on post: Apology & pledge Chandrasekharan, apologising for the tragedy and the loss of lives, also addressed broader concerns regarding safety, and pledged support to victims' families via an AI‑171 trust fund. He urged that speculation should be avoided till the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's findings, which are expected to be released in a month's time, citing that the Dreamliner had no 'red flags' and was operated by two 'exceptional' pilots with over 11,500 and 3,400 flight hours respectively. The June 12 crash, which is among India's deadliest in decades, involved a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner (VT‑ANB), which veered into a college building shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, killing 241 onboard and at least 39 more on the ground.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Time of India
AI 171 Horror: 125 victims identified, bodies of 83 handed to families, ex-CM Rupani cremated
The Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad has returned the remains of 83 victims from the Air India Flight AI‑171 crash after DNA matching of 125 samples, Health Minister Rishikesh Patel announced via X on June 17, 2025. Families of 124 deceased have been informed, with identification ongoing for the rest. The tragic Boeing 787‑8 bound for London crashed June 12 after a mayday call by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, killing 241 on board and at least 38 on the ground. Authorities continue recovery efforts and investigation into the catastrophe. Show more Show less
New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Indian- origin UK man, father of two dies in Air India crash after honouring late wife's final wish
In a week marked by unimaginable grief, the story of Arjun Manubhai Patolia stands out as the most tragic among the victims of the Air India Flight AI 171 disaster. A devoted husband and father, he lost his life shortly after honouring his late wife's final wish, and now leaves behind two young daughters in London. The 36-year-old Indian-origin man lost his life in Thursday's catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI‑171, just hours after performing the final rites for his wife in Gujarat . He had returned to his ancestral village of Vadiya, in Amreli district, to fulfil his wife Bharatiben's dying wish of immersing her ashes in the waters of the Narmada River . Bharatiben had passed away in London just a week prior. With two young daughters (aged 4 and 8) awaiting their return in the UK, Patolia performed the immersion rites alongside family in Vadiya. Soon after, he boarded the Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad. Arjun's nephew, Krish Jagdish Patolia told IndiaToday, 'It's heartbreaking. We have lost both of them in one week.' His daughters now face an unimaginable reality, both parents taken from them in the span of seven days
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Air India plane crash: LIC eases procedure of policy settlements for victims' families
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Friday announced a range of concessions to help ease the financial hardships faced by the families of those killed in the Air India flight Al 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. In a press release, LIC expressed grief over the deaths of passengers, crew members, and people on the ground who lost their lives in the tragedy. To provide financial relief to policyholders' nominees, LIC said it would expedite the processing of death claims and relax certain conditions normally required for settlements. — LICIndiaForever (@LICIndiaForever) As per the announcement, instead of a death certificate, LIC will accept any Government record confirming the policyholder's death due to the incident, or proof of compensation disbursed by the Central or state government or Air India authorities. Live Events The state-owned insurer assured that all efforts would be made to reach policyholders' families promptly and settle their dues at the earliest. Claimants in need of assistance can contact their nearest LIC branch, division, or Customer Zone. Additionally, a helpline, 022 68276827, has been set up to provide support and information. AI-171 crash: India's worst air disaster in nearly a decade The crash of Flight AI‑171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, is one of India's worst aviation disasters in nearly a decade. The aircraft, heading from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick, came down in a residential area just moments after takeoff, claiming 265 lives (230 passengers, 10 crew, 2 pilots, 5 doctors and others yet to be identified), with only one survivor confirmed. Eyewitnesses described the impact as sounding 'like an earthquake,' with thick black smoke engulfing the crash site and rescue teams struggling to reach the wreckage. The plane struck a hostel building near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, complicating rescue efforts amid intense heat, a large fuel blaze, and debris. Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that soaring temperatures and around 125,000 litres of fuel onboard made the crash unsurvivable. This tragic incident marks the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the model's inception and comes at a crucial time for Air India, which is undergoing a transformation under Tata Group's privatisation efforts.
