Five pilgrims and a pilot onboard a helicopter had a narrow escape when the aircraft on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical snag during take-off, officials said.
Airline Pilots' Association of India demands a fair and fact-based probe into the Air India plane crash, rejecting any bias towards pilot error in the investigation.
Their bond, forged in the skies and strengthened by countless shared takeoffs and landings, was characterised by a simple, unwavering ritual: A phone call after every landing or before the takeoff of a flight.
The crash has dealt a blow to the conglomerate's efforts to turn around Air India, especially following its merger with Vistara in 2024.
'When there are glaring errors in the report, how can you trust anything in it?'
Insurance companies are processing a surge of claims related to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, including travel, personal accident, and life insurance claims.
Anil Khimani, the last victim of the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash identified through DNA tests, has been cremated in Gujarat's Kutch district, bringing closure to the family after two weeks of wait and distress that included submission of samples twice.
'The switch can't be shut off by an accidental brush of the hand, but needs effort, conscious physical action to operate it.' 'Was it the software of the aeroplane that caused the switch to turn off?' 'Was it the hardware of the aeroplane?' 'Was it both software and hardware put together?'
Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module (TCM) of the crashed Boeing 787-8 plane twice in the last six years following a directive from Boeing in 2019, sources said on Sunday. The replacement of the TCM twice -- in 2019 and 2023 -- was mentioned in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary probe report into the crash that was released on Saturday.
'Humanly impossible for the switches to turn from on to off at rapid succession within one second'
The DGCA directive called for a series of specific checks before each flight's departure from India, including inspection of fuel parameter monitoring systems, cabin air compressors, and electronic engine control units.
The ministry also said it remains committed to full transparency relating to the ongoing investigation and will follow all mandated protocols and norms in the larger interest of the highest standards of passenger Safety and convenience.
The Tata-owned airlines said that 169 Indians, 53 British, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese were on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Four buildings -- Atulyam 1, 2, 3 and 4 -- which were damaged in the crash are being vacated, and occupants will be given alternative accommodations.
'This (crash) is one of those times where there is no concrete explanation yet for what happened. I think that adds to my parents' worry.'
On the one-month anniversary of the Air India flight 171 crash that killed 241 passengers and 19 on the ground, relatives of passengers expressed renewed anxieties as they saw loved ones depart on the same route.
The flight, which originated from Muscat, was on its way to Delhi after its scheduled stop in Kochi.
In modern aircraft, there are cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder.
The Indian government defended its decision to revoke the security clearance of Turkey-based Celebi without warning, citing an "unprecedented" threat to aviation security. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that giving a hearing or reasons before taking action would "defeat the purpose" in matters of national security. The decision came after Turkey backed Pakistan and condemned India's airstrikes on terror camps in the neighboring country. Celebi, which operates at nine Indian airports, has challenged the government's move in court.
'$125 million for the hull and the remaining of over $350 million for liability.'
India expects Turkiye to strongly urge Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism, said ministry of external affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal during the weekly briefing on Thursday.
The aircraft is awaiting repairs at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport after developing an engineering issue, a British high commission spokesperson said on Friday.
The pilot of the twin-engine wide bodied aircraft issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff at 1.39 pm, the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said.
Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who died in a tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, joined the list of several top Indian politicians and prominent personalities who lost their lives in aviation accidents.
The specific reasons for the crash of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick will be known only after the completion of the detailed probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
The panel, chaired by the home secretary, is expected to submit its report in three months.
Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace for Indian flights until June 24, 2025, citing the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules that restrict such closures for a month at a time. The ban, which was first imposed in May after the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, applies to all Indian-registered, operated, owned, or leased aircraft, including military aircraft. The decision comes after an IndiGo pilot requested permission to briefly use Pakistani airspace to avoid turbulence during a hailstorm, but the request was rejected.
'An HAL-private sector tieup is a possibility.'
In a filing to Turkiye's stock exchange on Friday, Celebi Hava Servisi AS said four concession and licence agreements executed between its company's subsidiaries and the relevant Indian airport authorities have been unilaterally terminated.
'...rectification has to happen then and there, and that takes additional time.'
'We consider everyone who lost someone in this tragedy as part of our family -- now and forever.'
In a message to flyers, the Air India chief also said the 15 percent reduction in Air India's international wide-body fleet operations for the next few weeks is a temporary move.
Jain currently heads RAW's Aviation Research Centre (ARC), which deals with aerial surveillance, among others.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday said measures are being taken to ensure smooth flight movements in India after a Microsoft software outage worldwide caused disruptions in flight services.
Talking to reporters after a meeting of the state cabinet, he said Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the entire cabinet offered tributes to those who had lost their lives in the June 12 plane crash in Ahmedabad during the meet.
As the planer reached a height of 625 feet, the aircraft started going down. It was at this time that the pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with co-pilot First Officer Clive Kundar issued the Mayday call.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft -- VT-ANB -- was 11.5 years old and had flown for more than 41,000 hours, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
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.
Pakistan has closed its airspace for all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports after India carried out military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The country's airspace was closed for all air traffic after India launched a 48-hour closure following the strikes. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has formally conveyed its concerns to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regarding the serious risks posed to civil aviation safety by India's reckless and provocative actions.
Embraer sees a lot of opportunities in India in the commercial and business jets as well as military aircraft and eVTOL segments, its CEO Francisco Gomes Neto has said as the Brazilian seeks to strengthen its foot print in the fast growing Indian market. Besides, the company is in talks with IndiGo and Air India to explore the possibility of selling its E-2 aircraft, which can have up to 146 seats.
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