Latest news with #MikeAndrews


News18
7 hours ago
- General
- News18
Ahmedabad plane crash: US attorney, kin of victims join candlelight vigil
Ahmedabad, Aug 12 (PTI) Family members of Air India plane crash victims on Tuesday participated in a candlelight vigil at the site of the tragedy in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad to mark two months since the deadly aviation disaster. United States-based aviation attorney Mike Andrews, who is in Gujarat to meet the kin of the deceased, also participated, said his media coordinator, Kuldip Israni. 'Andrews and 20 to 25 family members of the air crash victims, including passengers and those killed on the ground, participated in the candlelight vigil in memory of the victims," said Israni. Andrews, on August 8, announced that at least 65 families from India and the United Kingdom, who lost their kin in the horrific tragedy on June 12, have hired US-based law firm Beasley Allen, with which he is associated as an aviation attorney. Andrews had told reporters in Vadodara that the families have an option of filing a product liability claim in a US court, depending on the findings of the ongoing investigation. On June 12, Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft en route to London Gatwick crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and burst into flames, killing 241 out of 242 people onboard and 19 individuals on the ground, including four medical students. During the last week, Andrews met family members of several victims in Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat and neighbouring Diu. PTI PJT PD NSK view comments First Published: August 12, 2025, 23:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
‘If Ratan Tata was alive...': US lawyer slams Air India over ‘delayed payment' to Ahmedabad crash victims
A US lawyer, representing over 65 families affected by the tragic AI171 plane crash, slammed Air India for compensation delays for the families of the victims, claiming that it would not have happened if Ratan Tata, former Chairperson of the Tata Group, had been alive. Speaking to news agency ANI, the lead US attorney, Mike Andrews, highlighted the late Ratan Tata's legacy of compassion, suggesting his presence could have prevented such hurdles faced by the grieving families. 'Even in the US, we know who Ratan Tata was. We know a little bit in the US about his work ethic and his focus on being humble and taking care of his employees and so we know that if he were here today, we don't believe employees and victims and people who were on the aeroplane and on the ground would be subjected to a bureaucratic process in which they're delayed payment,' he said. He shared a distressing case involving a bedridden elderly mother whose only son, the only financial provider, died in the crash, noting that she depends on her son for her medical needs and that she is now left at the 'mercy of the world'. 'We met with one family, the elderly mother is bedridden, and she was depending upon her son to provide income to pay for her health care. He is now deceased. They have not received payment. What are they supposed to do?' he asked. 'They are now left at the mercy of the world in determining how she is supposed to go on when the person who was helping provide for her was killed through no fault of his own,' he added. Earlier on Friday, Andrew outlined potential legal avenues depending on the findings of the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, emphasising that if the crash is linked to a defect in the aircraft, such as issues with the FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) system or the throttle control, a product liability claim could be filed in the US. Alternatively, if Air India is held responsible, claims would likely fall under the Montreal Convention. On July 26, Air India released ₹ 25 lakh in interim compensation payments to the families of 147 of the 229 passengers who lost their lives in the crash and 19 others who lost their lives on the ground. These payments were said to be adjusted against the final compensation to be determined later. The Tata Group has also established 'The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust' in memory of the victims, and pledged an ex gratia payment of ₹ 1 crore for each deceased individual. It also said it would support the rebuilding of the BJ Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the accident, and provide assistance to first responders, medical personnel, and other support workers affected by the tragedy. On June 12, Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India later released the preliminary report into the tragic crash, outlining the harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff. It noted that both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent. The crash represents one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India in recent history.


India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Families of Ahmedabad crash victims demand full data on tragedy, approach US court
More than 60 families of the victims who lost their lives in the Ahmedabad plane crash have launched a legal battle in the United States, seeking complete and transparent information about the cause of the law firm Beasley Allen's head, Mike Andrews, who is representing the families in this case, said that it is important for the full truth to be brought forward so that the families can understand what really tragic incident took place on June 12, when an Air India flight departing from Ahmedabad and bound for London crashed just minutes after takeoff. There were 242 passengers on board the aircraft and only one passenger survived, while all others lost their lives in the crash, including 19 people on the ground. US attorney Mike Andrews is currently on a visit to Gujarat, where he is meeting with the families of the victims to collect detailed information about the deceased passengers and explain the legal process that will take place in the United to Andrews, many of the families have reached out to him with a shared demand that they want full access to all the facts and data surrounding the crash and not just selected parts of the official said that the families will only be able to understand the cause of the crash if the government releases complete and unedited information. Andrews told India Today that the initial report released by the Indian government is very limited in scope and does not contain the level of detail needed to draw clear conclusions about what went wrong.'The government should not share selective reports but full information of flight recorders, cockpit recorders, black boxes and whatever other recorders there are. The primary report of the Indian government is very small in front of the complete data,' Andrews said that if the raw data is made available, independent aviation experts from the United States can be brought in to analyse it thoroughly, which would help provide accurate answers instead of assumptions or speculation.'If the data is available, it can be analysed easily. By blaming someone or giving speculative information, families will not get the real information. If the government provides the complete data, our office will call independent experts from America and help in analysing it,' he warned that without this full data, the families will not receive the real answers they are the US attorney also met with the lone survivor of the horrific crash and his family. During the meeting, the survivor shared his account of the incident with Andrews which cannot be made public at this time, as the family of the survivor also lost a loved one in the crash and is still also recollected the conversation he had with the survivor's sister, who also lost one of her brothers in the crash. He said that the woman said that such incidents must not be allowed to happen again, while pointing out that thousands of people fly in Boeing 787 aircraft every day.'If all the information about this accident comes out, it will help in preventing such accidents again. If the entire data is shared with the families, it will benefit all the people who fly Boeing 787 every day,' she told has now been two months since the crash and the families of the victims are still waiting for the answers and continue to wait for on July 8, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had released a preliminary report on the crash which revealed that both engines shut down seconds after takeoff when the Engine 1 and 2 fuel cutoff switches moved from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" within one second of each other. Although the engines briefly regained thrust, they failed to aircraft had reached 180 knots, indicating airspeed when the shutdown occurred. Cockpit voice recordings show one pilot questioning the other, "Why did you cutoff?", with the other denying having done so, suggesting possible miscommunication or a technical malfunction.- EndsTrending Reel IN THIS STORY#United States of America#Ahmedabad Plane Crash


New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
'No support from Indian govt': Families of Air India flight crash victims take Boeing Battle to US Courts
Dull echo of bureaucratic indifference Behind their growing mistrust looms a billion-dollar question: Did the aircraft fail them? Enter Mike Andrews, a heavyweight in aviation litigation, flown in from the US to evaluate the path forward. His track record speaks volumes he's taken on Ford, Volkswagen, and aircraft manufacturers alike. Now, he stands with over 65 victim families. 'We've been asked to understand what happened, why it happened, and what legal avenues exist,' Andrews says, bluntly. 'If the black box shows a defect say in the FADEC system or throttle control this could open the door to a product liability case against Boeing in the US.' And that's exactly what Trupti and others are counting on a legal terrain where one grieving family can stare down a corporate monolith. Andrews explains the stakes clearly: 'Since this aircraft was manufactured in the United States, it's vital the victims' families have a voice there. US law levels the field. One person can challenge a giant and win.' But here in India, the silence from the authorities is deafening. Not a single piece of raw data has been handed over. No clarity. No commitment. Only the dull echo of bureaucratic indifference. As the official probe drags on, the families' patience has run out. Their move to the US courts isn't just a legal shift it's a moral escalation. What began as a crash is fast becoming a confrontation between truth and power. And Trupti Soni stands at the center, transforming private loss into public resolve. Her brother's death, like dozens of others, demands more than sympathy. It demands answers. And she's not waiting for permission to get.


Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Air India 171 crash: US lawyer urges release of flight data, says blaming dead pilots is tactic to shield manufacturers; details here
Sixty-five families from India and the United Kingdom who lost relatives in the June 12 Air India flight AI171 crash have engaged the US-based law firm Beasley Allen to explore legal options. Aviation attorney Mike Andrews has called for the release of the aircraft's flight data and cockpit voice recorders to determine the cause and possible liability in one of India's deadliest air disasters in recent years. Site visits and meetings with families Mike Andrews, representing these families, visited the crash site in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area before meeting relatives in Vadodara. He said families want to know exactly what caused the crash and the options available to them. The majority of the families are from Gujarat and neighbouring Diu. From Vadodara, Andrews plans to travel to Surat and Diu to meet more families before visiting Ahmedabad again. He also met relatives from the UK and said they all expressed a strong desire for transparency and access to complete investigation data. Legal options and possible jurisdictions Andrews explained that if the investigation finds a technical defect—such as issues with the FADEC system, throttle control, or other aircraft systems—a product liability claim could be filed in a US federal court. If Boeing is found responsible, he said the US legal system offers individuals and families a fair chance to hold multinational corporations accountable. He also noted that if Air India is found liable, claims would fall under the Montreal Convention. However, he emphasised that legal steps depend entirely on full access to flight recorder data, which he said the Indian authorities and Air India currently possess. Concerns over delays and narrative Andrews criticised delays in releasing critical flight data, suggesting that withholding information hampers the families' ability to seek justice. He said that in many cases globally, pilots—especially those who did not survive—are blamed early in the investigation, which can divert attention from possible technical or manufacturing issues. He pointed to reports suggesting pilot error in this case, calling such narratives 'typical' of manufacturers seeking to deflect scrutiny from their products. Andrews urged that the complete data be shared with attorneys and experts so an accurate assessment can be made. AirIndia plane crashed in a residential area. The nearby buildings has caught fire. #planecrash Background on the crash and compensation On June 12, 2025, the Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating Air India flight AI171 to London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, hitting a medical hostel complex. The crash killed 241 of the 242 passengers and crew onboard and 19 people on the ground, including four medical students. Interim compensation of ₹25 lakh has been paid to families of 147 passengers and 19 ground victims, to be adjusted against final payouts. The Tata Group has also announced an ex gratia of ₹1 crore per deceased victim through the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, alongside rebuilding efforts for affected infrastructure and aid to first responders. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.