Latest news with #JulianBray
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Why the Air India flight crashed: Expert Julian Bray has advised on the deadliest calamities. Now he examines the footage to reveal 'weird' inconsistencies and a horrifying possibility
All plane crashes horrify us at a visceral level – but yesterday's Air India disaster is in a league of its own. Flying is meant to be the safest form of travel, so when a near-total calamity such as this takes place, it speaks to our darkest fears. These days, of course, videos filmed on mobile phones often compound the terror – and the fate of Flight 171 has been revealed on brief, grainy footage, shared across social media, showing the plane's slow descent into a gigantic fireball. So what really happened? Can any lessons be learned – and not just by the airline industry, but by passengers such as you and me? Julian Bray is an aviation-security expert who has advised on some of the deadliest air disasters of the past 40 years. He is a former consultant to British Airways and Alitalia (he also revised several editions of the Italian carrier's official safety manual). He says: 'The Boeing Dreamliner is automated to the nth degree. It is a highly advanced aircraft, with multiple back-up systems, which is why I would look beyond mechanical failure.' Bray has analysed a number of competing theories... Did the pilots make a terrible error? On take-off, a pilot will typically lower the plane's flaps to generate more 'lift'. But footage of yesterday's crash appears to show that the Air India flight's flaps are still level with its wings. Without the flaps deployed, the plane could not have climbed fast enough, and some have suggested that the pilots might have forgotten to deploy them, leading to disaster. 'It is weird that the flaps seem stuck,' says Bray. 'They would have been tested on the runway as part of the pilots' pre-flight inspection. Not only do pilots walk around the plane to physically inspect its hatches are secure, but inside the cockpit they undergo a raft of procedures carefully designed to check everything.' So could the pilots have forgotten to deploy the flaps? No, insists Bray. 'Each stage of take-off is part of a meticulous procedure monitored by the captain and first officer.' Some have argued that the website FlightRadar24 appears to show the plane starting its run too far down the runway, where it would have had only 1,900 metres to take off instead of the required 2,800 metres – raising the possibility that the pilots started the take-off run too late. Again, Bray is not convinced. 'The pilot had 8,000 hours of experience and the co-pilot 1,000 hours. Air India has a pretty good safety record. Pilots get licensed to fly for only six months – after that they get put on a flight simulator and have to be recertified all over again.' That the aircraft still had its wheels down when it crashed is also unimportant, Bray believes. These are not usually raised until an airliner reaches 1,000 ft. The Air India plane never made it more than 400ft above the ground – 625ft above sea level. Could it have been mechanical failure? If something on the aircraft is not working, the captain can order the flight to be grounded. The fact that Flight 171 took off suggests to Bray that something sudden and unexpected must have happened immediately after take-off. The pilot's distress call of 'Mayday... no thrust, losing power, unable to lift,' confirms a catastrophic failure, says Bray. 'You wouldn't lose power, or thrust or the ability to change direction without a major problem further back in the aircraft,' he explains. Could the plane have hit a flock of birds? Bird strikes remain a serious risk for airliners. Last December, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 suffered a bird strike while coming into land at Muan International Airport in South Korea. After the pilots aborted the landing and attempted a second one, the plane's landing gear failed to deploy, causing the aircraft to overshoot the runway and collide with a concrete structure that housed landing lights. Of the 181 people on board, 179 were killed. Bird strike was also the cause of the forced landing of a jet in New York in 2009, the so-called 'Miracle on the Hudson', when pilot Chesley Sullenberger – later played by Tom Hanks in a film about the incident – earned praise for his cool handling of the situation. But, Bray points out, neither engine of the Air India flight appears to be smoking as the plane went down – if they had been, it would point to a bird strike. He adds that Ahmedabad airport has bird-scarer technology, which detects birds resting on the airport site and emits distress calls from loud speakers mounted on vehicles to scare them away, as well as using hawks to keep bird numbers down. So could a hawk have been sucked into the engine? Unlikely, says Bray: a bird strike affecting one engine wouldn't have been sufficient to cause this crash. 'The plane could have taken off with one engine,' he says. 'It would have been a bit bumpy, but the pilots should have been able to perform a 'go-around' and fly back to the airport.' Could it have been pilot suicide? This risk was brought home in March 2015 when a Germanwings Airbus A320 slammed into a hillside in the Alps, killing all 150 people on board. The co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, was later revealed to have suffered suicidal tendencies, while a heart-rending cockpit recording revealed the pilot hammering on the door and begging the co-pilot to open up. Suicide has also been suggested as an explanation for the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, where an airliner bound from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in 2014 disappeared from radar screens and, it is believed, turned around and crashed in the southern Indian Ocean. However, yesterday's disaster, notes Bray, occurred at a stage of the flight when both pilots would have been at the controls and it would have been hard for one to crash the plane without a struggle. Could it have been a bomb? In June 1985, one of Air India's Boeing 747s en route from Montreal to Heathrow went down in the Atlantic, blown apart by a bomb planted by Sikh extremists and killing all 329 on board. While Flight 171 clearly didn't explode mid-air, Bray is concerned by a puff of smoke that appears to come from the plane as it was taking off. One possibility he raises for further investigation is that a device might theoretically have been planted in a highly sensitive location, which did not destroy the fuselage yet succeeded in severing the wires and systems that allow pilots to control the wing flaps and rudder. A plane like the Dreamliner has multiple emergency systems, says Bray, but a bomb planted in the right place could cause the pilots' total loss of control. However, it must be stressed that there has been no suggestion of terrorism from officials either in India or the international investigators, including from Britain, who have rushed to the scene. Alternatively – and more innocently – he says, a consignment of batteries on board might have spontaneously caught fire – the dangers of so-called 'thermal runaway' in lithium batteries are well-known. Is it still safe to fly? This is a question that many will be asking as we approach the summer holidays. And, certainly, readers could be forgiven for wondering whether flying has recently become more dangerous. Already, 2025 has seen several deadly crashes in developed countries, including a commercial disaster in Washington DC that killed 67 people after an American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter. Meanwhile, Boeing has suffered a raft of serious accidents recently, including a terrifying 'gaping hole' emerging in the side of the fuselage of a flight from Oregon to California in January 2024, with passengers using the on-board wifi to say goodbye to their loved ones. In 2018 and 2019, two Boeing 737 Max jets crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing a total of 346 passengers and crew. But despite these disasters, statistics show that flying is the safest it has ever been. Since 1970, the global fatality rate for air travel has fallen from 4.77 per million passenger journeys to just 0.05. When you take to the air, you now run just one hundredth of the risk of being killed as you did half a century ago. According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, accidents on commercial flights – which can be as small as an aircraft being damaged and needing repairs – have fallen from 4.8 per million departures as recently as 2008 to just 1.9 per million in 2023. Statistics from the US National Transportation Safety Board show that between 2007 and 2023, flying was, mile for mile, by far the safest form of transport. Little comfort, of course, to the devastated families of the victims of Air India Flight 171.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Air India Flight to London Crashes, 242 On Board Feared Dead
Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner lies at the site where the Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, on June 12, 2025. Credit - Amit Dave—Reuters A passenger plane heading to London, England, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday. Footage shows the Air India Boeing 787-8 plane flying low above a residential area before crashing, resulting in a ball of flames emerging from the impact site. Police believe there are no expected survivors from the crash, per the Associated Press. Local media has reported that the plane crashed into local medical college accommodation, south-west of Ahmedabad's airport. Five people at the accommodation building are believed to have been killed in the crash, as well as many others injured. Air India confirmed on Thursday morning that the passenger aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The plane took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m local time. Initial warning signs came after Air India announced the aircraft had been 'involved in an accident.' FlightRadar, which displays live updates for flights worldwide, shows that the path of the plane ended shortly after takeoff. The signal with the aircraft was reportedly lost at around 625 ft. A large ball of flames could be seen rising from the crash site, followed by clouds of dark smoke as emergency services rushed to the scene. Images of the crash site show extensive damage to buildings in the vicinity, with charred rubble and parts of the plane scattered across the landscape. The rear of the aircraft could be seen partially intact on top of a nearby building. There were 242 people onboard the Air India plane, including 10 crew according to local media. The flight was scheduled to land at London's Gatwick Airport at approximately 6:25 p.m. local time on Thursday evening, according to the airport. Aviation expert Julian Bray has said that the pilot made a mayday call before the crash, indicating that the crew was aware of a problem with the aircraft. Local news outlet NDTV is reporting that pilot Sumeet Sabharwal had 8,200 hours of flight experience, and co-pilot Clive Kundar had 1,100 hours, citing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It is also the first ever Boeing 787-8 plane to crash, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. A Boeing spokesperson has provided an initial response, saying: "We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information." However, generally speaking, Boeing has a history of high-profile crashes. This latest incident comes a month after the aircraft company agreed to pay $1.1bn in a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice to avoid prosecution over two crashes in 2018 and 2019 that together killed 346 people. Just hours after the most recent crash, as of around 4 p.m. local time, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has reopened and is operational once again, according to India's civil aviation ministry. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash a 'tragedy' and said he is 'stunned and saddened.' 'It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. [I] have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,' he said in a statement via social media. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also offered his condolences, calling the situation 'devastating.' 'I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time,' Starmer said. King Charles III has offered his 'deepest possible sympathies' in an official statement. 'My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning. Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathies are with the families and friends of all those affected,' His Majesty said. 'I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time.' India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he is 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the incident, adding that 'all aviation and emergency response agencies have been directed to take rapid and coordinated action.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney relayed that he was 'devastated' to learn of the incident. 'My thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board. Canada's transportation officials are in close contact with counterparts and I am receiving regular updates as the response to this tragedy unfolds,' he said. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro also reacted to Thursday's crash. 'It was with deep dismay that I learned of the tragic plane crash in India, in which seven citizens with Portuguese nationality were travelling,' he said. 'On behalf of myself and the Government, I would like to express my condolences and deep solidarity with the families of the victims.' Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
2 days ago
- General
- Time Magazine
What to Know as Air India Flight to London Crashes, With All 242 On Board Feared Dead
A passenger plane heading to London, England, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday. Footage shows the Air India Boeing 787-8 plane flying low above a residential area before crashing, resulting in a ball of flames emerging from the impact site. Police believe there are no expected survivors from the crash, per the Associated Press. Local media has reported that the plane crashed into local medical college accommodation, south-west of Ahmedabad's airport. Five people at the accommodation building are believed to have been killed in the crash, as well as many others injured. Air India confirmed on Thursday morning that the passenger aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. How did the crash in Ahmedabad unfold? The plane took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m local time. Initial warning signs came after Air India announced the aircraft had been 'involved in an accident.' FlightRadar, which displays live updates for flights worldwide, shows that the path of the plane ended shortly after takeoff. The signal with the aircraft was reportedly lost at around 625 ft. A large ball of flames could be seen rising from the crash site, followed by clouds of dark smoke as emergency services rushed to the scene. Images of the crash site show extensive damage to buildings in the vicinity, with charred rubble and parts of the plane scattered across the landscape. The rear of the aircraft could be seen partially intact on top of a nearby building. What are the details of the flight? There were 242 people onboard the Air India plane, including 10 crew according to local media. The flight was scheduled to land at London's Gatwick Airport at approximately 6:25 p.m. local time on Thursday evening, according to the airport. Aviation expert Julian Bray has said that the pilot made a mayday call before the crash, indicating that the crew was aware of a problem with the aircraft. Local news outlet NDTV is reporting that pilot Sumeet Sabharwal had 8,200 hours of flight experience, and co-pilot Clive Kundar had 1,100 hours, citing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It is also the first ever Boeing 787-8 plane to crash, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. A Boeing spokesperson has provided an initial response, saying: "We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information." However, generally speaking, Boeing has a history of high-profile crashes. This latest incident comes a month after the aircraft company agreed to pay $1.1bn in a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice to avoid prosecution over two crashes in 2018 and 2019 that together killed 346 people. Just hours after the most recent crash, as of around 4 p.m. local time, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has reopened and is operational once again, according to India's civil aviation ministry. How are lawmakers and other leaders reacting? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash a 'tragedy' and said he is 'stunned and saddened.' 'It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. [I] have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,' he said in a statement via social media. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also offered his condolences, calling the situation 'devastating.' 'I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time,' Starmer said. King Charles III has offered his 'deepest possible sympathies ' in an official statement. 'My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning. Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathies are with the families and friends of all those affected,' His Majesty said. 'I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time.' India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he is 'deeply shocked and saddened' by the incident, adding that 'all aviation and emergency response agencies have been directed to take rapid and coordinated action.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney relayed that he was 'devastated' to learn of the incident. 'My thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board. Canada's transportation officials are in close contact with counterparts and I am receiving regular updates as the response to this tragedy unfolds,' he said. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro also reacted to Thursday's crash. 'It was with deep dismay that I learned of the tragic plane crash in India, in which seven citizens with Portuguese nationality were travelling,' he said. 'On behalf of myself and the Government, I would like to express my condolences and deep solidarity with the families of the victims.'
Sky News
2 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Air India crash: Plane wreckage ripped apart medical hostel as students lunched
Why you can trust Sky News Images and video have captured the aftermath of the Air India plane crash in a residential area near Ahmedabad Airport in the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat. Footage shows what appears to be part of the aircraft's tail wedged into the roof of a building in Meghaninagar. Crowds can be seen surrounding the multi-storey building - a medical facility - and looking up at the wreckage. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into BJ Medical College Hostel shortly after take-off at 1.38pm. Images also show parts of the plane in the building, including a food hall, where medical students were having lunch. One photograph from inside the complex shows rows of dining tables with thalis (steel plates) containing meals, and food and drink spilled all over the floor. Beyond the tables is wreckage of the aircraft on the floor, surrounded by a crowd. At the end of the room there is a gaping hole where part of the rear of the plane has crashed through. Footage from inside shows where the landing gear of the aircraft has become wedged, and what appears to be a balcony that looks down on the floor below to masses of debris. Video taken outside shows a smouldering piece of wreckage with locals and firefighters at the scene with debris and rubble strewn across the area. 0:22 Aviation expert Julian Bray told Sky News he understands the pilot managed to make a mayday call, meaning the crew was aware of a problem before the crash. Air India said 242 people were on the flight. Passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national. India's CNN News18 TV channel said there 12 crew on the plane. India's prime minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X: "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."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Air India crash: Plane wreckage ripped apart medical hostel as students lunched
Images and video have captured the aftermath of the Air India plane crash in a residential area near Ahmedabad Airport in the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat. Footage shows what appears to be part of the aircraft's tail wedged into the roof of a building in Meghaninagar. Crowds can be seen surrounding the multi-storey building - a medical facility - and looking up at the wreckage. The into BJ Medical College Hostel shortly after take-off at also show parts of the plane in the building, including a food hall, where medical students were having lunch. One photograph from inside the complex shows rows of dining tables with thalis (steel plates) containing meals, and food and drink spilled all over the floor. Beyond the tables is wreckage of the aircraft on the floor, surrounded by a crowd. At the end of the room there is a gaping hole where part of the rear of the plane has crashed through. Read more:Moments before Air India plane crash Footage from inside shows where the landing gear of the aircraft has become wedged, and what appears to be a balcony that looks down on the floor below to masses of debris. Video taken outside shows a smouldering piece of wreckage with locals and firefighters at the scene with debris and rubble strewn across the area. Aviation expert Julian Bray told Sky News he understands the pilot managed to make a mayday call, meaning the crew was aware of a problem before the crash. Read more: Air said 242 people were on the flight. Passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national. India's CNN News18 TV channel said there 12 crew on the plane. India's prime minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X: "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." Indian broadcaster NDTV reported he was headed to the scene.
