Latest news with #MichaelAndrews
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Air India Plane Crash Victims' Families Hire Firm That Sued Boeing For Lapses
Ahmedabad: Families of over 60 victims of the June 12 Air India plane crash have hired Beasley Allen, a US law firm that has represented victims of aviation disasters, including the case against Boeing following the deadly crash of the Ethiopian Airlines plane in 2019. A London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Air India flight AI171, crashed into a medical school seconds after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, and 19 others on the ground. The firm's head, Michael Andrews, has also visited Ahmedabad to assist the families. "Being on the ground here is crucial to understanding the local pressures families are facing. This tragedy didn't just affect passengers - it devastated an entire community. Deaths and injuries at the Medical College crash site underscore that aviation safety is a global concern," he said last month. "Our primary focus at this stage is to assist families in finding answers," Mr Andrews added. "We are committed to ensuring accountability and transparency throughout this investigation." During the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash probe, he had also travelled to the accident site in Ethiopia and worked closely with families. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 8, crashed six minutes after takeoff from Ethiopia's Addis Ababa, leaving 157 passengers and crew members dead. Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash An initial inquiry by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the Air India plane crash said the fuel supply switches - designed not to move accidentally during flight - had moved from the 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' positions. The final report is pending. The plane crash was one of the worst air disasters in India in decades. Air India had announced that it would provide an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the families of each of the victims and survivors. On July 26, it said it had paid the interim compensation to the families of 166 victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. Besides, payment to the families of another 52 victims is in the process, it added. It has also pledged to support the reconstruction of the BJ Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the crash.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
AI-171 victim families hire firm that sued Boeing for 737 lapses
Families of 65 victims from Air India Flight AI-171's deadly crash have hired Beasley Allen, a prominent US aviation law firm that represented families in the Boeing 737 MAX disasters, to pursue legal action against Boeing and Air India. The firm is exploring product liability claims against Boeing in US federal courts. (REUTERS) The firm, led by aviation attorney D. Michael Andrews, is exploring product liability claims against Boeing in US federal courts and Montreal Convention claims against Air India in UK courts, though no lawsuits have been filed yet. 'Our firm presently represents families of 65 victims. We are determined to follow the data to uncover how and why this tragedy occurred,' Andrews said. 'The families deserve answers and are pleading for transparency.' The Boeing 737 MAX cases that established Beasley Allen's reputation involved two crashes that killed 346 people between 2018 and 2019 - Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in Ethiopia. Boeing ultimately paid $2.5 billion under a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, including a $243.6 million criminal penalty, $1.77 billion to airlines, and $500 million for crash victim families. Boeing has since settled more than 90% of the claims and paid billions more in individual compensation to families, with the company acknowledging liability for the crashes caused by the faulty Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), US Department of Justice records showed. The causes for the crash of flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, from Ahmedabad on June 12, is not yet clear. The plane crashed shortly after take-off, killing all 241 people aboard and 19 on the ground. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the sole survivor. The victims included 181 Indian nationals and 52 UK citizens. Andrews disputed findings in the interim report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB), which suggests potential pilot action. The law firm executive argued that a Flight Data Recorder only detects changes in electrical current, not manual switch movements. This, he said, raises the possibility that a computer-triggered fault, rather than human error, that caused both engine fuel control switches to send a CUTOFF signal. He urged Indian authorities to release all data, including cockpit voice recorder transcripts, to enable global experts to assess the cause comprehensively, warning that selective information could lead to misinterpretation. 'I suspect a technical or design fault is being concealed, with blame shifted to the pilots,' said Trupti Soni, who lost her brother and two sisters-in-law in the crash and hired the firm to seek accountability. The preliminary report also paraphrased conversation from the cockpit voice recorder capturing one pilot questioning the other on why the fuel was cut-off, with the other denying responsibility. The report did not identify which of the pilots said what. Andrews highlighted recent Boeing 787 incidents to suggest systemic problems: a United Airlines flight from Dulles to Munich declared a Mayday and returned due to engine failure, whilst a LATAM flight experienced Ram Air Turbine deployment, typically triggered by significant power or hydraulic failure. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of India leads the inquiry with participation from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Boeing representatives. Imtiaz Ali, whose brother Javed, wife and two children—all British nationals—died in the crash, said he plans to initiate legal action within two months, hoping for court judgements within two years. Under the legal agreement, families pay no fees unless financial recovery is secured. If clients terminate representation, Beasley Allen retains a lien of either 30% of the most recent settlement offer or an amount equal to accrued time and expenses, whichever is greater. The firm may withdraw if it deems the case cannot proceed, and no specific outcomes are guaranteed. The Tata Group, which owns Air India, offered ex gratia compensation of ₹1 crore for families of deceased passengers and ₹25 lakh for ground victims. The company established the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust with ₹500 crore, funded equally by Tata Sons and Tata Trusts, to support affected families' long-term needs, particularly children who lost parents, by providing scholarships for education, medical coverage and financial assistance to ensure stability for dependents. Boeing and Air India representatives did not respond to enquiries.
Associated Press
25-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Consumer Defense Law Group Saves Sacramento Home Via Surplus Trustee Sale Reversal
SACRAMENTO, CA, UNITED STATES, July 25, 2025 / / -- Consumer Defense Law Group secured a powerful win for Sacramento homeowners Michael Andrews and Rhiannon White, who reclaimed ownership of their foreclosed property through a surplus trustee sale reversal. This outcome, once an impossibility in their eyes, became reality because Consumer Defense Law Group believed they could get the home back and acted decisively. Michael Andrews and Rhiannon White lost their family's home to foreclosure on June 17, 2025. Despite purchasing the property in 2011 for $72,000 and its current value exceeding $326,000, financial hardships forced them behind on mortgage payments. The property entered the foreclosure process when a Notice of Default recorded on April 2023, followed by a Notice of Trustee Sale in September 2024. On the June 17, 2025 auction date, the home went up for sale with a published bid of $162,113, opening at $234,500, and ultimately selling to the highest bidder for $249,000. This generated $86,887 in surplus funds – the amount remaining after the sale price exceeded the total owed to the lender. Many firms focus solely on helping homeowners retrieve these surplus funds for a percentage, but Andrews and White's priority wasn't the money; it was saving their family home. The homeowners contacted the Nonprofit Alliance of Consumer Advocates, a Loss Mitigation Nonprofit Organization focused on Homeownership Preservation and Affordable Housing. The Nonprofit quicky identified the clients need to be referred to Consumer Defense Law Group, a highly skilled Wrongful Foreclosure Litigation Law Firm, to explore his legal options, and Consumer Defense Law Group was retained to explore all possible legal avenues. Consumer Defense Law Group promptly issued a formal demand letter, meticulously outlining the strong factual basis and alleged procedural irregularities in the foreclosure process. This powerful demand convinced the relevant parties to reverse the sale. Ultimately, through diligent effort and robust negotiations, Consumer Defense Law Group reversed the sale, and homeowners recovered their home without the need for court intervention. This pivotal case highlights the critical importance of proper legal assistance and aggressive advocacy in reversing a trustee sale. It powerfully demonstrates homeowners can fight back against foreclosure actions and regain their properties, even when most other companies only offer limited services like surplus fund retrieval. J. De La Vega NonProfit Alliance of Consumer Advocates +1 855-622-2435 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Telegraph
06-07-2025
- Telegraph
Eurostar passengers evacuate on to tracks after hours-long breakdown
Passengers have been left stranded for seven hours after a Eurostar train broke down. Footage on social media shows dozens of passengers walking next to the tracks hours after the London-bound train from Brussels stopped between Lille and Calais in northern France because of a power failure. The doors were opened and water handed out to passengers, a Eurostar spokesman confirmed, but four hours into the wait, passengers left the train. Eurostar said a replacement had been sent from London which was scheduled to arrive at 1.30pm, but was delayed. It was thought to have arrived by 4.45pm, according to the BBC. The company confirmed it would be refunding passengers and has offered them a full cash refund or a 300 per cent return of the ticket value in an e-voucher. Passengers had left Brussels at 8.52am local time and were due to arrive in London at 9.57am. The frustrated travellers have taken to social media to vent their frustration. Michael Andrews wrote on X: 'Stuck on the @Eurostar for 4.5 hours, stationary, toilets full, electricity off & absolutely boiling alive... They tweeted there would be a replacement train at 1.30, no sign.' Approaching seven hours, we start walking to then be told there is STILL no sign of a replacement train? — Alana (@alanaroberts13) July 6, 2025 Alana Roberts wrote: 'You waited over two and a half hours before even communicating this, now looking at four hours stuck on this train and still no replacement! There is no air, not even some water offered, staff should be coming carriage to carriage to give us verbal updates at the minimum.' Ms Roberts tweeted again, this time a video of people walking along the tracks with their bags: 'Approaching seven hours, we start walking to then be told there is STILL no sign of a replacement train.' A fellow passenger who only gave her names as Valentina wrote to Eurostar, as she complained about the heat and 'inhumane conditions'. She said: 'I am on this train with two small children who are overheating! There are no toilets, there is no air, these are inhumane conditions. There is still no replacement.' Ms Roberts went on to say: 'Now almost 15:00 and still nothing from you, people are feeling serious unwell at this point.' After 6h on a broken-down Eurostar we cracked out the guitars to remind everybody #theOnlyWayIsUp — Stornoway (@StornowayBand) July 6, 2025 Passenger Edward Hardy, who hosts The Hardy Report political news podcast, posted a video showing Oxford band Stornoway provided some relief to travellers by playing music along the tracks. Mr Hardy wrote: 'A band has started serenading stranded Eurostar passengers with a song titled Home.' The indie folk band wrote on X: 'We cracked out the guitars to remind everybody #theOnlyWayIsUp.' They named themselves after the Scottish town on the Hebridean Isle of Lewis, despite never having been there. They have since visited multiple times since 2010. A Eurostar spokesman said: 'Earlier today, Eurostar train 9117, travelling from Brussels to London, came to a standstill between Lille and Calais due to a power failure, leaving the train without onboard electricity. 'To provide passengers with some comfort during the delay, train doors were opened to allow fresh air to circulate, and water was distributed. 'A rescue train was promptly dispatched from Brussels to carry out a complex transfer operation. This process, supported by local authorities and SNCF Réseau personnel on site, is taking longer than anticipated and is still ongoing. 'Eurostar teams are doing everything possible to ensure all affected passengers reach their final destination, London St Pancras, as soon as possible. 'We understand how difficult this experience has been and sincerely apologise for the disruption and discomfort caused. We are also extremely grateful for our passengers' patience and cooperation throughout.'
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
LynnMall stabbing inquest hears emotional testimony from brave hero who aided victims
Ahamed Samsudeen coming out of the New Lynn train station, on the day of the attack on in September 2021. Photo: Supplied Two civilians, who'd earlier been awarded bravery medals for their courageous acts during the LynnMall terror attack in 2021, have given emotional testimonies at the inquest of Ahamed Samsudeen - with one of them sharing that they told Samsudeen on the day of the attack, "Your God does not condone this". Samsudeen stabbed five people, and injured two others at a Countdown supermarket in Auckland's New Lynn, before he was shot and killed by police. Michael Andrews held back tears as he recounted the events of 3 September 2021, particularly when he spoke of seeing the injured survivors. Andrews said he heard Samsudeen say to himself "Allahu Akbar" three or four times as he crouched over a victim. Andrews said he told Samsudeen his actions were wrong. "I firmly stated 'Your God does not condone this', before I yelled at him," he said. Michael Andrews, who awareded a New Zealand Bravery Medal for his actions following the mass stabbing, giving witness testimony on Friday. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi Andrews said he was within 1.5 metres of Samsudeen, who subsequently came toward him with the knife. "He swung his knife aggressively towards me and with much more energy than when he had been stabbing and cutting [survivor] on the ground. "He went from zero to a hundred quickly and moved towards me to attack me," Andrews recalled. Andrews said he ran away and grabbed a metal pole for protection. He said he held the pole toward Samsudeen as the attacker continued to swing the knife toward him. Andrews said another shopper yelled at Samsudeen, eventually distracting him away. Andrews was emotional as he spoke of seeing an injured survivor on the ground. He said he'd asked another shopper to hold the hand of the survivor to keep her conscious, as he went to apply pressure to the wounds of another survivor. Off-duty paramedic Ross Tomlinson was another civilian who attempted to distract Samsudeen and stop him from attacking others. Tomlinson said he witnessed Samsudeen stabbing a person and told him to drop his weapon. He told the inquest he was then approached by Samsudeen. "I told Mr Samsudeen several times to drop the knife. He didn't respond and kept coming towards me. "He didn't run but was pacing towards me. His breathing was heavy with a deranged look on his face. "It was neither happy nor angry, but deranged or manic." Ross Tomlinson during his evidence into the inquest of Ahamed Samsudeen. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi Tomlinson said Samsudeen was slashing his knife in the air and was saying with a raised voice, "Allahu Akbar". He said several other civilians were also trying to distract Samsudeen and asked him to put down the knife, before the two plain-clothed police officers arrived. Tomlinson said both officers had ordered Samsudeen to put down his knife before they shot him. "The commands from them were really, really clear. People from behind scattered when they were told to get out of the way. "There is in no world where he didn't hear that command very clearly, repeated and was given every opportunity to drop that weapon. He didn't do so. "As a matter of fact, they (the police) acted in my best interests to save my life. [It's] worth stating that those commands were very, very clear and he was afforded every opportunity to stop this violence," he said. Under questioning by a lawyer Anna Adams assisting the Coroner, Tomlinson said the two officers were the first to attend to Samsudeen after they shot him. He said he also unpacked some nappies from the shelves for helping with Samsudeen's wounds - however based on more than 10 years of experience as a paramedic, he felt Samsudeen couldn't have been saved. Tomlinson said he observed signs of "agonal breathing" from Samsudeen, which he said happens with people who are having a cardiac arrest or some form of internal haemorrhaging. He said Samsudeen's breathing quickly stopped and he believed that there was not much one could do to save him, and even life support may not have worked. Earlier when Coroner Marcus Elliott opened the inquest, he said it would not be revisiting the conclusion of the Independent Police Conduct Authority finding that two officers were legally justified in shooting Samsudeen, and that the surveillance officer who decided not to follow Samsudeen into the supermarket initially, had acted reasonably. However, he said that does not mean there was nothing to learn from the attack, and the inquest would discuss recommendations. More to come... Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
