Latest news with #SumitKhanna
The Star
14-06-2025
- General
- The Star
At least 270 bodies recovered from Air India crash site, hospital official says
AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) -At least 270 bodies have been recovered after a London-bound Air India plane crashed into a medical college hostel in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad this week, a hospital official told reporters on Saturday. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board bound for Gatwick Airport on Thursday began losing height moments after take-off and erupted in a fireball as it hit buildings below. (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly and Sumit Khanna in Ahmedabad; Writing by Shivam Patel; Editing by Stephen Coates)
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
More than 100 killed as Air India plane with 242 on board crashes near Ahmedabad
By Sumit Khanna , Reuters A plume of smoke rising after Air India flight 171 crashed near the airport in Ahmedabad. Photo: @ASHLOVETEA via AFP More than 100 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, one of the country's worst aviation disasters. The plane was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a residential area near the airport. More than 100 bodies, most of them badly charred, had been brought to the local government hospital for autopsy, police said. "The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel... we have cleared almost 70 percent to 80 percent of the area and will clear the rest soon," a senior police officer told reporters. Parts of the plane's body were scattered around the building into which it crashed, photographs and videos from the area showed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building. What happened immediately after Air India plane took off from Ahmedabad. @vishnundtv explains India's CNN News-18 TV channels said the plane crashed on top of the dining area of state-run BJ Medical College hostel, killing many medical students as well. It showed a visual of a portion of the aircraft perched atop the building. Rescue workers said that at least 30 to 35 bodies had been recovered from the site and that more people were trapped. The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said. Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service. It was the first crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on Thursday flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said. "At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates," Air India said on X. "The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals." 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 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are… The crash occurred just after the plane took off, television channels reported. One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge jet of fire can be seen rising into the sky from beyond the houses. Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport. They also showed people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances. #AhmedabadPlaneCrash | Sequence of events accessed: - 1:39 PM: Plane took off from Ahmedabad - Air India plane took off from runway 23 - Moments later, issues mayday call to ATC - No response from the pilot to calls from ATC - Plane crashes outside airport perimeter… "My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed," Poonam Patel, a relative of one of the passengers, told news agency ANI at the government hospital in Ahmedabad. Ramila, the mother of a student at the medical college, told ANI her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the plane crashed. "My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries," she said. According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39 pm (NZ 8.09pm) from runway 23. It gave a "Mayday" call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft. Flightradar24 also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off. US aerospace safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse said one problematic sign from videos of the aircraft was that the landing gear was down at a phase of flight when it would typically be up. "If you didn't know what was happening, you would think that plane was on approach to a runway," Brickhouse said. Boeing said it was aware of initial reports and was working to gather more information. Boeing shares fell 6.8 percent to $199.13 in pre-market trade. An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Photo: 123RF Britain was working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country's foreign office said in a statement posted on its website. "The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. "It is heartbreaking beyond words." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said images emerging of the crash were "devastating", and that he was being kept informed as the situation developed. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said King Charles was also being kept updated. The Indian aviation minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately. Ahmedabad is the main city in Modi's home state of Gujarat. We are following reports of a crash of Air India flight #AI171 from Ahmedabad to London. We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC, just seconds after take off. The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB… Ahmedabad Airport said it had suspended all flight operations with immediate effect. The airport is operated by India's Adani Group conglomerate. "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171," Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the group, posted on X. "Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground," he said. The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm. The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a "table-top" runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground. Twenty-one people were killed in that crash. The Air India plane that crashed near Ahmedabad was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to London, carrying 242 passengers. It marks the first fatal crash involving this aircraft model. The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara - a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines in 2024. Tata said an emergency centre had been activated and a support team set up for families seeking information. - Reuters
Ya Libnan
12-06-2025
- General
- Ya Libnan
At least 30 killed as Air India plane with 242 on board crashes near Ahmedabad
Rescuers at the site of the crash in a residential section of AP By Sumit Khanna Summary Flight was bound for London's Gatwick Airport Police say plane crashed on doctors' hostel 30-35 bodies recovered from building Plane was Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner AHMEDABAD, India- At least 30 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, with the toll expected to climb, authorities said. The plane was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a residential area near the airport. 'The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,' a senior police officer told reporters. India's CNN News-18 TV channels said the plane crashed on top of the dining area of state-run B.J. Medical College hostel, killing many medical students as well. It showed a visual of a portion of the aircraft perched atop the building. Rescue workers said that at least 30 to 35 bodies had been recovered from the site and that more people were trapped. The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said. Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service. It was the first crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on Thursday flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said. 'At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates,' Air India said on X. 'The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.' CRASH JUST AFTER TAKE-OFF The crash occurred just after the plane took off, television channels reported. One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge jet of fire can be seen rising into the sky from beyond the houses. Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport They also showed people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances. 'My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed,' Poonam Patel, a relative of one of the passengers, told news agency ANI at the government hospital in Ahmedabad. Ramila, the mother of a student at the medical college, told ANI her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the plane crashed. 'My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries,' she said. Item 1 of 16 Emergency personnel and other people gather near damaged property, at the site where an Air India plane crashed, in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FORCE VIA X/Handout via REUTERS [1/16]Emergency personnel and other people gather near damaged property, at the site where an Air India plane crashed, in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FORCE VIA X/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39 p.m. (0809 GMT) from runway 23. It gave a 'Mayday' call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft. Flightradar24 also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off. Boeing said it was aware of initial reports and was working to gather more information. Boeing shares fell 6.8% to $199.13 in pre-market trade. Britain was working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country's foreign office said in a statement posted on its website. 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. 'It is heartbreaking beyond words.' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said images emerging of the crash were 'devastating', and that he was being kept informed as the situation developed. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said King Charles was also being kept updated. MODI'S HOME STATE The Indian aviation minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately. Ahmedabad is the main city in Modi's home state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad Airport said it had suspended all flight operations with immediate effect. The airport is operated by India's Adani Group conglomerate. 'We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171,' Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the group, posted on X. 'Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground,' he said. The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm. The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a 'table-top' runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground. Twenty-one people were killed in that crash. The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara – a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024. Tata said an emergency centre had been activated and a support team set up for families seeking information. No Survivors There appears to be no survivors from an Air India plane crash with 242 people aboard, according to authorities in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. 'It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,' Commissioner G.S. Malik has told The Associated Press. He added that with the plane crashing in a residential area with offices, 'some locals would have also died'. 'Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained,' he said. (Reuters)
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US tariffs set to cripple India's diamond industry, hurting jobs, exports
By Sumit Khanna and Rajendra Jadhav SURAT, India (Reuters) - A wave of anxiety has gripped India's diamond polishing hub of Surat, as hefty U.S. tariffs threaten to undermine the country's gem and jewellery exports, putting at risk the livelihoods of thousands of workers. The United States, which takes more than 30% of the South Asian nation's gem and jewellery exports, set a 27% reciprocal tariff on it on Thursday, at a time when demand is softening in other key markets such as China, the Middle East, and Europe. "Tariffs will hit hard the demand for diamonds in the United States and job losses look inevitable, at least in the short term," said Dinesh Navadiya, chairman of the Surat-based Indian Diamond Institute. Surat, the second-largest city in Gujarat, the western home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, processes and polishes more than 80% of the world's rough diamonds, and India accounts for nine in every 10 diamonds processed globally. Business has ground to a halt in its teeming diamond market, where more than 10,000 traders and brokers gather each day, as the industry tries to figure out how matters will evolve in the coming months. Conditions are worse than during the 2008 financial crisis, when the industry was plagued by fears of a prolonged recession, said Mansukh Mangukiya, a diamond trader for five decades. A slowdown in the industry will hit all manufacturers, but smaller players will suffer most, said Sevanti Shah, chairman of Venus Jewels, adding, "Many smaller manufacturers will have no choice but to shut down." The United States accounted for nearly $10 billion, or 30.4%, of India's annual gems and jewellery exports, totalling $32 billion in the fiscal year 2023/24. THIRD LARGEST EXPORT TO U.S. Gems and jewellery are India's third largest export to the United States, after engineering and electronic goods, and employ millions of workers, including artisans. Poorer business prospects also raise questions about the future of the Surat Diamond Bourse, inaugurated by Modi in 2023 to create thousands of new jobs and serve as a trade hub. Built over 6.6 million square feet, it was touted as the world's largest office building, surpassing the Pentagon. The industry will seek alternative markets to compensate for the loss of U.S. demand, but no other country will be able to replace the U.S. market, diamond dealers said. The sudden decline in U.S. demand would require short-term production adjustments within the industry and could lead to reduced rough diamond imports, said Shaunak Parikh, vice chairman of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council. Exporters are making last-minute efforts to ship as much as possible to the United States before its new tariffs take effect, Parikh said, while orders that cannot be delivered earlier may be cancelled or put on hold. The tariffs would also drive up U.S. prices, crimping demand, said Vipul Shah, managing director of Asian Star, a leading diamond exporter. An uncertain future lies ahead for Chetan Navadiya, a diamond manufacturer turned job-work contractor. "I lost my business due to the market slowdown," Navadiya said. "I took up job work to survive, but even those contracts may not come by now, because of U.S. tariffs." Sign in to access your portfolio
