News for 'Air Safety'

J-K police advises border residents to stay in shelters

J-K police advises border residents to stay in shelters

Rediff.com11 May 2025

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked border villages residents, who were evacuated to safer places in view of cross border shelling by Pakistan, not to rush back to homes as they are yet to sanitise and clear these areas of any unexplored shells.

India-Pak tensions: Govt extends closure of 28 airports till May 15

India-Pak tensions: Govt extends closure of 28 airports till May 15

Rediff.com9 May 2025

A senior government official confirmed that after a meeting with other stakeholders, the decision has been taken and airlines and airport authorities have been informed about it.

War clouds over India: End game for IPL 2025?

War clouds over India: End game for IPL 2025?

Rediff.com8 May 2025

The IPL 2025 season was thrown into turmoil on Thursday night after the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match was abruptly halted

Bomb hoax: AI flight remains airborne for hours, returns to Mumbai

Bomb hoax: AI flight remains airborne for hours, returns to Mumbai

Rediff.com10 Mar 2025

An Air India flight bound for New York returned to Mumbai on Monday morning after a bomb threat was reported. The aircraft, carrying 303 passengers, was thoroughly checked by security agencies, and nothing suspicious was found. The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 5 am on Tuesday, and passengers have been offered hotel accommodation and other assistance. This incident follows a recent trend of hoax bomb threats on flights, with at least 15 flights receiving such threats this year.

Mandi cloudburst toll rises to 14, search on for 31 missing

Mandi cloudburst toll rises to 14, search on for 31 missing

Rediff.com4 Jul 2025

The death toll from cloudburst and flash flood-related incidents in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh has risen to 14, with a search underway for 31 missing individuals. Extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and livestock has been reported across the district.

'People Of Poonch Are In Absolute Panic'

'People Of Poonch Are In Absolute Panic'

Rediff.com8 May 2025

'Five hours of bombardment by the Pakistanis should not have happened.' 'India should have sent the air force to bomb the Pakistanis where they were raining fire on us.'

What Shux Did In His 1st Week In Space

What Shux Did In His 1st Week In Space

Rediff.com10 Jul 2025

Shubhanshu Shukla's first seven days in space have combined science, ceremony, and moments of levity.

Did US Intervention Off-Ramp Conflict?

Did US Intervention Off-Ramp Conflict?

Rediff.com17 May 2025

In the India-Pakistan situations, off-ramps have come either through foreign mediation (after months of kinetic warfare over Kargil, and a long stand-off with Op Parakram) or when a situation made it possible for both sides to claim a win, explains Shekhar Gupta.

Crew well capable: IAF on 'GPS spoofing' in Myanmar

Crew well capable: IAF on 'GPS spoofing' in Myanmar

Rediff.com14 Apr 2025

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed that its crew are well-equipped to handle potential GPS spoofing incidents, asserting that all relief missions to earthquake-hit Myanmar were successfully completed as planned. The IAF's statement follows reports of GPS signal tampering during relief flights, which raised security concerns. Sources in the military establishment had earlier suggested that IAF transport aircraft carrying relief materials to Myanmar faced "GPS spoofing", prompting the IAF to assure that its crew are capable of handling such situations.

'The Most Heart-Stopping Aviation Experience'

'The Most Heart-Stopping Aviation Experience'

Rediff.com1 Jul 2025

'A last-second aborted landing at Mumbai airport left us speechless.'

Pak used 300-400 Turkish drones to target 36 places from Leh to Sir Creek

Pak used 300-400 Turkish drones to target 36 places from Leh to Sir Creek

Rediff.com9 May 2025

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.

Pilot killed in Jaguar crash got engaged days ago

Pilot killed in Jaguar crash got engaged days ago

Rediff.com4 Apr 2025

The incident has left the family grappling with grief and pride as they remember their brave son who sacrificed his life while saving another.

US aviation watchdog likely to maintain highest safety rating for India

US aviation watchdog likely to maintain highest safety rating for India

Rediff.com28 Apr 2022

A continuation of the highest standard by the FAA will be a relief for Indian airlines especially the Tata group which intends to increase Air India flights on India-US routes. US aviation watchdog Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has completed the audit of India's aviation regulator DGCA. Sources said that the FAA team was satisfied with the work and changes in regulations by India and is likely to maintain a Category 1 status rating under its International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme.

BCCI pushes for foreign stars' return as IPL resumes

BCCI pushes for foreign stars' return as IPL resumes

Rediff.com13 May 2025

All the 10 teams are involved in a lot of back and forth with their overseas recruits over their arrival plans in India a day after the IPL announced the revised schedule following necessary security clearances from the government.

India Strikes At Pakistan Airbases

India Strikes At Pakistan Airbases

Rediff.com10 May 2025

Pakistan military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that th Pakistan air force's Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases were targeted.

Villager killed, 3 hurt in Pak shelling in Poonch, Rajouri

Villager killed, 3 hurt in Pak shelling in Poonch, Rajouri

Rediff.com9 May 2025

A villager was killed and three others were injured in shelling by Pakistan in forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts early Friday morning, prompting Army troops to retaliate. The shelling also caused significant damage to property, with many houses and hundreds of vehicles affected. The firing and shelling were directed at areas in Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu districts, apart from Kashmir's Kupwara and Baramulla districts, overnight.

India test fires 2 surface to air missiles in 2 days

India test fires 2 surface to air missiles in 2 days

Rediff.com13 Sep 2024

The missile showcased its precision and capability to neutralise targets, the statement said.

PIX: Piastri does the 'trick' in Miami to stretch F1 lead

PIX: Piastri does the 'trick' in Miami to stretch F1 lead

Rediff.com5 May 2025

The win from fourth on the grid was Australian Oscar Piastri's third in a row, after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and fourth of the season. McLaren have so far been beaten only once.

18 injured after plane crashes, flips on landing in Canada

18 injured after plane crashes, flips on landing in Canada

Rediff.com18 Feb 2025

Two runways at the airport will remain closed as officials investigate the incident, according to the airport's CEO Deborah Flint, CNN reported.

'Air India needs to change its attitude towards safety'

'Air India needs to change its attitude towards safety'

Rediff.com12 Aug 2020

A K Chopra, a retired DGCA official, had flagged concerns regarding engineering, flight safety, operations, and training standards in the airline and subsidiaries, thus warning the management of grave safety risk. He also called for the replacement of the chief of flight safety Harpreet A De Singh, who, he said, did not meet the regulatory requirements for holding the post.

Air defence control gets boost as Army launches 'Project Akashteer'

Air defence control gets boost as Army launches 'Project Akashteer'

Rediff.com4 Apr 2024

A noteworthy aspect of 'Akashteer' is its emphasis on mobility and resilience, a source said.

IndiGo crew sought to enter Pak airspace, confirms DGCA

IndiGo crew sought to enter Pak airspace, confirms DGCA

Rediff.com23 May 2025

An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence near Pathankot on Wednesday, prompting the crew to request permission to enter Pakistani airspace to avoid the weather. However, their request was denied. The aircraft, an A321 neo operating flight 6E 2142, experienced hailstorm and turbulence, triggering various warnings and forcing the autopilot to trip. The crew managed to safely land the aircraft in Srinagar after a harrowing experience. The incident is under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which confirmed there were no injuries to passengers but noted damage to the aircraft's nose radome.

Bomb threat 'non-credible' but...: American Airlines on Delhi flight

Bomb threat 'non-credible' but...: American Airlines on Delhi flight

Rediff.com24 Feb 2025

However, it said that the Delhi airport protocol required the aircraft to be inspected elsewhere before being cleared to land.

Court raps Tihar authorities for keeping Christian Michel with 'desperate criminal'

Court raps Tihar authorities for keeping Christian Michel with 'desperate criminal'

Rediff.com16 Apr 2025

A Delhi court has reprimanded Tihar Jail authorities for allegedly keeping Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case, with an inmate who has received 41 punishments for misconduct, raising concerns about Michel's safety. The court also ordered the jail to provide Michel with a table fan, stating that even animals in zoological parks are provided air conditioning. Michel had previously requested to finish his sentence and leave India due to security risks.

'Delaying Military Action Would Keep Pakistan Anxious'

'Delaying Military Action Would Keep Pakistan Anxious'

Rediff.com5 May 2025

'Surgical strikes or air strikes, or both, are likely on the table.'

Despite ceasefire, live shells still haunt border villagers

Despite ceasefire, live shells still haunt border villagers

Rediff.com18 May 2025

People along the Line of Control and International Border in the Jammu region continue to live under the shadow of death, with unexploded mortar shells fired by Pakistani troops still embedded in farmlands and residential areas even though hostilities have stopped for nearly a week. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Despite the May 10 understanding between India and Pakistan, locals describe the border areas as a 'death trap'. Sixty-two-year-old Balvinder Singh, who returned to his home in Pargwal sector on May 14, recounted a narrow escape. "Two shells exploded in our compound, damaging our house. Three more landed on our farmland. We were terrified and told our family to stay away from the fields until the Army could help," Singh told PTI. Army engineers later came to the village and safely defused the unexploded shells, bringing a temporary sense of relief. "Fear is writ large on the faces of people to these death traps in border hamlets", he said. Scenes of destruction are evident rooftops torn apart, broken houses, windows punctured by shrapnel, and carcasses of cattle lying in pools of blood. The acrid smell of gunpowder still lingers in the air. Sardar Gurmeet Singh faced a similar ordeal. His family could not re-enter their home as a live mortar shell had sunk into the compound in a village close to the International Border. "The army's bomb disposal squad removed it after four days, allowing us to finally enter, back home," he said. Indian Army engineers have launched a sweeping clearance operation across border districts, defusing over 80 unexploded shells in the past five days -- including 6 in Pargwal, 19 in Rajouri, 42 in Poonch, and 12 along the IB. "These shells, mostly 120 mm calibre, have a range of 15 to 30 km and pose a serious threat to both civilian and military targets," an Army officer said. "Many of them were fired by Pakistan during recent hostilities." On May 7, the Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor, conducting precision strikes on nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. The subsequent retaliation by Pakistan pushed the region to the brink of war. From 7 to 10 of May, 27 civilians were killed and over 70 injured in Pakistani shelling in the Jammu region. Farid Din Gujjar, a resident near the border, expressed fear about returning to his fields. "Several shells created deep craters in our paddy land. We cannot resume work until all unexploded ordnance is cleared. It's a death trap," he said. Army units, in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police, have evacuated high-risk zones and issued stern warnings to residents not to touch any suspicious objects or unexploded shells. In one major operation, 42 live shells were safely destroyed in the Poonch villages of Jhullas, Salotri, Dharati and Salani. "All safety protocols were followed. The shells posed a serious danger to local lives," an Army spokesperson said, calling the effort a 'continued commitment to protect civilians and restore normalcy'. Poonch saw the vast majority of deaths due to shelling. Security officials said that Pakistan used a mix of mortar shells, armed drones, and missiles during the shelling spree, specifically targeting civilian habitations and border towns in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch. As clearance operations continue, the border residents are slowly returning to their homes, but with caution, fear, and lingering uncertainty about shelling that may yet happen in the future.

'Operation Sindoor Was A Dream Operation'

'Operation Sindoor Was A Dream Operation'

Rediff.com23 May 2025

'The precision strikes were well planned and excellently executed. The world will be studying this operation.'

NY-Delhi flight escorted by fighter jets to Rome after bomb scare

NY-Delhi flight escorted by fighter jets to Rome after bomb scare

Rediff.com24 Feb 2025

Italian news agency ANSA said the flight was diverted following a request from American Airlines for security checks related to a "suspected bomb threat".

Why 500,000 Indians Visited Vietnam

Why 500,000 Indians Visited Vietnam

Rediff.com3 Jul 2025

Stunning landscapes, natural beauty, clean beaches, cultural wealth, mouth-watering food, shopping options, safety for solo travellers, warm hospitality, easy visas, and connectivity make Vietnam a must-visit destination, discovers Ramesh Menon.

A Trip to The Tallest Statue In The World!

A Trip to The Tallest Statue In The World!

Rediff.com28 Apr 2025

The giant statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel is most impressive and a trip to the viewing gallery on top is the high point of a trip to Kevadia, Gujarat.

Wayanad rescuers fight crippling odds to move over 1,500 to safety

Wayanad rescuers fight crippling odds to move over 1,500 to safety

Rediff.com1 Aug 2024

The construction of a Bailey bridge to connect the landslide-hit areas, where several people are believed to be stranded, alongside the deployment of sniffer dogs and over 1,000 rescuers from Central and state emergency response teams conducting massive search operations, constitutes one of the largest rescue efforts in the Wayanad, devastated by a deadly calamity.

Air India suspends flights to Israel amid Iran strike

Air India suspends flights to Israel amid Iran strike

Rediff.com14 Apr 2024

With the Middle East tensions flaring up, Air India has temporarily suspended its Tel Aviv flights and airlines have charted alternative flight paths to avoid the Iranian airspace.

Sirens blare as mock drills conducted across country

Sirens blare as mock drills conducted across country

Rediff.com8 May 2025

India conducted nationwide civil defence mock drills simulating multiple hostile scenarios like air raids, fire emergencies, and rescue operations across several states and union territories. The drills, dubbed 'Operation Abhyaas,' aimed to enhance emergency preparedness in light of recent terror attacks. The exercises involved coordinated efforts by various agencies, including civil defence personnel, police, fire and emergency services, and the military. Mock drills were conducted at various locations, including railway stations, malls, and high-rise buildings, showcasing the response capabilities of authorities in different emergency scenarios. The drills highlighted the importance of public awareness and cooperation in dealing with real-time emergencies.

Cops attempt to rescue man, attacked by mob, 2 dead

Cops attempt to rescue man, attacked by mob, 2 dead

Rediff.com16 Mar 2025

Two persons, including an ASI, have been killed and other policemen sustained minor injuries,

India bans imports, Pak ships entry; suspends postal services

India bans imports, Pak ships entry; suspends postal services

Rediff.com3 May 2025

Main imports from the neighbouring country during April-January 2024-25 included fruits and nuts (USD 0.08 million), certain oil seeds and medicinal plants (USD 0.26 million), and organic chemicals.

Cadaver dogs join rescue operation at Telangana tunnel

Cadaver dogs join rescue operation at Telangana tunnel

Rediff.com7 Mar 2025

Cadaver dogs from Kerala police have joined the rescue operation at the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel in Telangana, where eight people have been trapped since February 22. The dogs, specially trained to locate missing humans and human bodies, are being used to identify the presence of survivors in the tunnel. Rescue personnel, including NDRF teams, are also working tirelessly to reach the trapped individuals amidst challenging conditions, including slush and seepage of water.

Dust storm, rain lash Delhi, trees uprooted; 15 flights diverted

Dust storm, rain lash Delhi, trees uprooted; 15 flights diverted

Rediff.com12 Apr 2025

A strong dust storm and gusty winds followed by rain hit Delhi-NCR on Friday evening, causing trees to be uprooted in several parts and leading to traffic congestion. Thunderstorms caused power disruptions in several parts of the city, primarily due to trees and branches falling on electricity cables. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert, recommending people stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

Sirens, blackouts in border states as Pak attack foiled

Sirens, blackouts in border states as Pak attack foiled

Rediff.com9 May 2025

People in several districts of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat spent an anxious night as authorities enforced blackouts amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan.

1 killed, 3 injured as Kamakhya Express derail in Odisha

1 killed, 3 injured as Kamakhya Express derail in Odisha

Rediff.com30 Mar 2025

The train was heading to Kamakhya station in Assam's Guwahati from Bengaluru.

A Salute To The Brave Who Gave Us Their All

A Salute To The Brave Who Gave Us Their All

Rediff.com16 May 2025

With respect and gratitude we honour the memory of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Operation Sindoor.