At least 30 bodies recovered as rescue efforts continue at Air India crash site in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD (India), June 12 — At least 30 bodies have been recovered from a building from a building at the site of a plane crash in India's western city of Ahmedabad, rescue personnel at the site said.
More people were trapped inside, the rescue workers said. — Reuters
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Meet the 'Python Huntress', who has more than 600 dead pythons under her belt
Siewe is a professional hunter of the invasive Burmese python in Florida. — Photos: Reuters Amy Siewe was a successful real estate agent – but her life changed after she captured her first python in Florida's Everglades in the United States. 'I just had this fascination with snakes. So when I learned that there was a python problem here in Florida... I went on a hunt, I caught a 2.75m python, and that was it. I was hooked!' she said. Within two months she had sold her business in Indiana and moved to Florida to become a python hunter. Now, with more than 600 dead pythons under her belt, she is known as the 'Python Huntress' – one of a handful of women among hundreds of men hunting the invasive Burmese python in Florida's Everglades wetland ecosystem. 'This python is about 3m long,' she says as she wrestles a snake she has just captured in the tall grass in the middle of the night. 'It's probably about three years old, and to date it's eaten about 200 of our native animals, including mammals and birds.' The snakeskins are tanned into leather and dyed, then turned into fashion accessories and other goods. Burmese pythons have been spreading through the Everglades National Park since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 destroyed a breeding facility for the pet trade, freeing some 900 snakes. Originally native to South-East Asia, the python can grow up to 5.5m long and has a voracious appetite, consuming the local wildlife, including mammals, birds and even alligators. The Everglades is a unique subtropical ecosystem, with the largest continuous mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere. It is home to a vast array of unique species, including the endangered Florida panther, the American alligator and the American crocodile. But it provides no natural predators to the Burmese python, allowing the population of the invasive species to balloon. Scientists have noted dramatic declines in raccoons, opossums, bobcats, and rabbits in the region. 'There's an estimated 500,000 pythons out there,' Siewe said. Siewe and her boyfriend Dave Roberts measuring a python they caught in Ochopee, Florida. The pythons, which are hunted by night, cannot legally be transported alive, so they are killed on site after being captured and measured. Once home, Siewe skins the dead snakes, and then has the skins professionally tanned into leather to be made into purses, wallets, watch bands and other goods. It takes an average of 12 hours to catch one. 'So it's not that effective, right,' she admits. 'We're always going to have pythons in Florida. What we're trying to do is figure out how to decrease their numbers. Hunting right now is the most effective tool that we have.' – Reuters
The Star
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Indian canteen worker's hopes dashed, no second miracle in air crash
FILE PHOTO: A fire officer stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. - Photo: Reuters AHMEDABAD, (India): Ravi Thakor had been hoping his mother and two-year old daughter had escaped just before an Air India jet crashed into the building they were in. A week after one of the world's worst aviation disasters killed more than 270 people in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, Thakor's hopes were dashed when doctors matched his DNA on Wednesday (June 18) with the remains of his mother Sarla and daughter Aadhya. A canteen worker in a college hostel, Thakor and other family members had left the hostel around 30 minutes before Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into the building. Sarla had stayed back, cooking and looking after Aadhya, who was asleep. Thakor and his wife Lalita searched for them in hospitals and the morgue after the crash. After not finding them for days, they said they were hoping for a "second miracle", referring to the lone passenger aboard the plane who survived the disaster. On Thursday, the dead bodies were handed over to Thakor's family for the final rites. "We are going to cremate my mother and daughter. It is very difficult for me to say anything right now, but at least we know what happened to them," Thakor said, struggling to speak. At least 211 DNA samples had been matched, and 189 dead bodies handed over to families, Rakesh Joshi, the medical superintendent at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital told reporters on Thursday. The dead included 241 people on board the plane and at least 30 on the ground. - Reuters
The Star
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In calm or crisis, they're there
Rescue rangers: Search and Rescue Dogs Malaysia conducting one of their training sessions, while (below), the rescue dog will bark to alert its handlers, upon locating the victim — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star Search and rescue dogs can play pivotal role in saving lives PETALING JAYA: It has been a little over six months since Search and Rescue (SAR) Dogs Malaysia was recognised for its notable efforts. Since then, things have been relatively quiet – to its relief. 'There were no demands for our services during this period. "It's a rather good thing because that means no tragedies have happened,' said SAR Dogs Malaysia deputy president Wellington Ho. Despite the calm, there is no time to rest, he added. 'Weekly training still goes on. We cannot stop as we never know when disaster will strike. 'We have to be fully prepared on short notice. All our bags are packed and we're ready whenever needed,' said Ho in an interview. The team, which previously operated at three training sites, has also started working at two other locations – a plantation in Semenyih, and another in Kuala Kubu Baru, both in Selangor. Upon being named one of the Star Golden Hearts Award (SGHA) winners last year, Ho said the group received more attention from the public. As part of its expansion plans, he said the organisation's doors would always be open for new people to join. 'However, this also poses a challenge as our priority is to find the 'right' kind of people and dogs,' he said. Currently, Ho said the group has an additional four young dogs undergoing training to obtain International Rescue Organisation (IRO) certification, along with two new handlers. 'We hope for a positive outcome from this latest development. 'Whether or not they qualify as search and rescue dogs remains to be seen, as they have to go through a tough three-year training period,' he said, adding that those interested in joining could reach out through their social media page. Apart from the dogs undergoing training, SAR Dogs Malaysia has six handlers and two IRO-certified dogs at present. They are also associated with the Civil Defence Force. Ho added that financial expenses are among the other challenges they are facing. 'It can go up to the hundreds to maintain a working dog when it comes to food and medication. Unforeseen circumstances can also arise, which could see us forking out more,' he said. However, Ho remains optimistic, saying that they are always working to improve the group and their services. 'To aspiring changemakers, the most important thing is you must have passion. "Everything else such as expertise and skills can be developed but passion is foremost,' he said. The SGHA returns for the 11th edition to honour everyday Malaysians whose compassion and selflessness have made a lasting impact on others. With McDonald's Malaysia as its new strategic partner, SGHA is poised to broaden its reach and deepen its impact nationwide. This year also marks the debut of the McDonald's Caring Hearts Award – a special recognition honouring individuals or grassroots groups whose heartfelt acts of kindness have uplifted lives in profound and lasting ways. Since its inception in 2015, SGHA has honoured over 100 individuals and organisations whose efforts have inspired action, transformed lives and strengthened communities nationwide.
