Air India slammed for ‘repeated violations' and three officials sacked over ‘systemic failures' in wake of horror crash
AIR India has been slammed for "repeated violations" with three officials sacked over "systemic failures" following the tragic crash.
Cracks within the airline have started to show after flight AI171
7
Crews search and clear the wreck
Credit: EPA
7
The plane crashed in a fireball at a doctor's hostel
Credit: x/nchorAnandN
7
Firefighters work at the site of the crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad
Credit: EPA
All passengers and crew -
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) urged Air India to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles, it has been revealed.
The three officials include a divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling and one planning executive.
Their sacking relates to lapses linked to flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and May 17 that exceeded the stipulated pilot flight time limit of 10 hours.
read more news
The order on Friday cited "systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights" and criticised the lack of strict disciplinary measures against the officials.
Despite the latest action by the aviation authority against Air India being unrelated to this month's tragic crash, it has laid bare the significant issues with the airline.
On Thursday, it was also brought to light that authorities previously warned the airline for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment of escape slides.
The latest order by assistant director of operations at the DGCA, Himanshu Srivastava, said: "Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible."
Most read in The Sun
Air India said it has implemented the DGCA order and in the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre.
The airline added: "Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices."
Shock moment passenger threatens to CRASH Air India plane mid-flight in furious row just days after Ahmedabad disaster
The DGCA stated in its order that Air India had voluntarily disclosed the violations.
Investigators are continuing their probe into what caused the airline's London-bound plane to plunge to the ground moments after takeoff in Ahmedabad.
Air India said on Thursday that the
The airline's chief N Chandrasekaran also hit back at 'speculation' on what caused the London-bound flight to crash a minute after take-off.
And it was revealed that the
The Indian government has the final say on who probes the device, but reports say the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, D.C. is being considered for the analysis.
A team of Indian investigators is expected to accompany the device to ensure all protocols are followed during the
Investigators warned on Tuesday that the recovered
7
The plane seconds before disaster with its landing gear still extended
Credit: x/nchorAnandN
7
People stand near debris at the crash site
Credit: EPA
7
The plane's tail can be seen sticking out of a building following the crash
Credit: AP
7
Lone survivor of the Air India plane crash Vishwash Ramesh pictured at his family home in Diu, India
Credit: Dan Charity
Planes usually carry
One records flight data, such as altitude and speed, whilst the other monitors the cockpit sound.
The
Despite the name, these devices are painted bright orange for visibility amid debris.
Investigators believe the CVR on this 2014-delivered aircraft likely stored only two hours of cockpit audio.
The jet predates a 2021 rule which enforced 25-hour recordings on all planes.
But the FDR is capable of logging thousands of flight parameters for over 25 hours, including altitude, airspeed, and control inputs.
The aircraft had climbed less than 600 feet before its ascent stalled, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
A distress signal was sent but was met with complete radio silence.
Moments later, the plane crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex near the airport's northeastern boundary.
The damaged black box is now seen as a crucial piece of evidence in understanding what led to India's worst air disaster in nearly three decades.
Investigators hope the data from the box will shed light on the aircraft's final moments.
52 Brits died on board the flight, but London local
Leading theories on Air India Flight AI171
THESE are some of the leading theories explaining the tragic Air India disaster which killed at least 270 people.
Emergency power system
: A small turbine generator was seen deploying as the Boeing 787 went down, experts said.
Footage showed a "protrusion on the belly of the aircraft" with a "little grey dot" beneath it.
Commentators say this was a system called Ram Air Turbine (RAT) poking out from the fuselage of the plane.
Bird Strikes
: A bird strike could have taken out both of the jet's giant General Electric engines.
While a bird taking down something the size of a commercial airliner might sound fanciful, there are numerous examples.
Wing flap position
: Aviation experts have suggested the position of the aircraft's wing flaps could have played a role in the disaster.
Video evidence suggests the flaps were either fully retracted or on a very minimal setting, which would have provided very little lift.
The flaps provide crucial extra lift at low speeds during take-offs and landings.
Pilot error
: The state-of-the-art Boeing 787-8 is highly automated, with human pilots making only key decisions - but human error cannot be ruled out.
Co-pilot Clive Kundar had more than 3,400 hours of flying experience and made the mayday call but Captain Sumeet Sabharwa at the helm had 11,500 hours - making him one of Air India's most experienced pilots.
Heat
: Planes get less lift on a hot day due to lower air density, and therefore they need to go faster to get as much lift as on a cooler day.
This is particularly important when an airliner is heavy with fuel, passengers and baggage, as the Air India flight was.
Technical error
: Catastrophic technical or engineering issues have not been ruled out.
The jet's complex design mean it could take months for a design or engineering fault to be pinpointed.
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Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Restaurant owner jailed after attacking Dubliner for speaking Urdu in takeaway
A Co Donegal restaurant owner has been jailed for a year after he assaulted and injured a man following a 'geopolitical' row at his Indian takeaway. Prabhjot Singh denied assaulting Dubliner Shane Dalton at his Taste of India restaurant in Letterkenny after objecting to the victim speaking Urdu in the early hours of May 7, 2022. Letterkenny District Court heard how Mr Dalton couldn't properly open his eye for a week after being slapped and punched by Singh. Mr Dalton had flown to Donegal with his boyfriend and sister for a weekend away to celebrate his sister's birthday. The three had gone for drinks and enjoyed dinner before going out on the town and ended up in the Taste of India for another bite to eat at 3.40am. The court heard how Mr Dalton, who is half Pakistani, was chatting to his boyfriend Robert Shevlin in the takeaway and using the Urdu language. Urdu is a major language of South Asia, specifically spoken in Pakistan and India. Mr Dalton told the court that he was using 'curse words' in Urdu such as 'motherfucker' but said he was joking with his boyfriend in a private conversation between themselves. He claimed that Singh, the owner, then came out from behind the counter and took offence at Urdu being spoken and asked Mr Dalton how he knew the Urdu language. A confrontation occurred and the court was told that Singh slapped Mr Dalton in the face and then followed that up with a number of punches before Mr Dalton fell on to a number of chairs. Detective Garda Eimear Hassett told the court that she was called to the scene and found Mr Dalton with what appeared to be blood on a white sleeveless top. His face was swollen and there was a cut above his left eye. Both men pointed through the window of the premises to the culprit as being a man wearing a blue T-shirt who turned out to be Prabhjot Singh, now aged 38. Mr Dalton was taken to hospital by ambulance, received treatment for his injuries and flew back home to Dublin the following day. The victim and his then-boyfriend, now-husband Mr Shevlin, then both attended their local Ballyfermot Garda Station where they made statements about the incident. Both Mr Dalton and Mr Shevlin gave their version of events on the night, as did the owner of the restaurant Mr Singh. Mr Dalton said that after he was cursing in Urdu with his boyfriend, a man approached him from behind the counter and took him to one side and asked him how he knew how to speak this language. He explained that he was half Pakistani but the man said he was being so disrespectful and gave him "a big huge hard slap." Mr Dalton then said the assailant punched him twice and got him in a headlock and asked him what was he going to do and called him "a pussy." The victim then said he went unconscious before waking up with a number of men standing around him and as he left they were shouting abuse at him and calling him a "Paki bastard" and other names. He went outside and an ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital. His now-husband, Mr Shevlin also gave his version of events from the night which reflected that of the victim. During cross-examination by solicitor for Singh, Mr Rory O'Brien, both men were asked if they were intoxicated as had been suggested by Detective Hassett. Mr Shevlin said they had been drinking over the course of the day and may have been intoxicated. However, he added: "I do believe we were intoxicated but I don't believe that is relevant and I don't believe we deserved to be assaulted." He added that he did not believe there was any malicious intent in his partner using curse words in the Urdu language saying it was "not a public announcement but a private conversation. He also claimed that while his partner Mr Dalton was being assaulted, Mr Singh was shouting "fu**ing muslims." Mr O'Brien asked Mr Shevlin did he really believe that the row arose because of a 'geo political' issue and that his client was so incensed because Mr Dalton was a Pakistani national that he was going to "get it." "I would suggest this is highly implausible and a fantastical version of events," added Mr O'Brien. Mr Shevlin replied that if Shane was not assaulted then they would not be here (in court). The accused man then entered the witness box and gave his version of events. He claimed that Mr Dalton was leaning on the counter and shouting at staff in the Urdu language calling them "mother fuckers" and "bastards" and asking where they were from. Mr Singh said he eventually went over to Mr Dalton and told him he could not speak to his staff like that and asked him to leave. He said Mr Dalton was very drunk, at one stage fell back and broke the glass of the fire alarm. He admitted that he pushed Mr Dalton as he was coming at him and claimed that was when he (Mr Dalton) fell on some chairs and hurt himself. The accused man said he had nothing against Pakistani people and even had some working for him but claimed that when Mr Dalton mentioned the situation in Kashmir, he asked him to leave. Mr Singh was cross-examined by Garda Inspector Seamus McGonigle who asked him why there was no security on the night and why there was no CCTV on the premises. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week The restaurant owner said he usually had security but it was getting harder to find people to work and also there were renovations taking place and there was no CCTV available at the time. Inspector McGonigle asked Singh was it not the case that once Mr Dalton started to speak Urdu and because he is Pakistani that he took an instant dislike to him. "You flipped and you assaulted him and chased him and assaulted him again. And all because you flipped because you don't like his nationality," said Inspector McGonigle. At two stages, solicitor for the accused Mr O'Brien, sought applications from the court on the case but Judge Ciaran Liddy said that Mr Singh had a case to meet. Coming to his decision in the case, Judge Liddy said he had listened carefully and that there are facts common to both sides but outlined the differences in both accounts from the two different sides in the case. He said he was satisfied that the prosecution had proven their case and fully accepted their version of events, that Mr Singh "took the law into his own hands" and that a conviction is warranted. Asked about Mr Singh's personal circumstances, Judge Liddy was told he is a 38-year-old father of two who was clearly a family man and that he runs a business in the town and does his best for his family. He has no relevant previous convictions. The Judge added this was a vicious assault perpetrated against Mr Dalton on a night out. He added that Mr Singh decided to take matters into his own hands and dispense the justice he felt should be dispensed. If he had an issue with what was being said in Urdu, there were other ways of dealing with the situation rather than taking matters into his own hands, he added. He placed the assault at the upper end of the scale of what District Courts are expected to deal with before they are brought to the Circuit Court and one, which merited a prison sentence of 12 months. Mr Singh's legal team immediately said they would be appealing the sentence.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Air India slammed for ‘repeated violations' and three officials sacked over ‘systemic failures' in wake of horror crash
AIR India has been slammed for "repeated violations" with three officials sacked over "systemic failures" following the tragic crash. Cracks within the airline have started to show after flight AI171 7 Crews search and clear the wreck Credit: EPA 7 The plane crashed in a fireball at a doctor's hostel Credit: x/nchorAnandN 7 Firefighters work at the site of the crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad Credit: EPA All passengers and crew - The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) urged Air India to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles, it has been revealed. The three officials include a divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling and one planning executive. Their sacking relates to lapses linked to flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and May 17 that exceeded the stipulated pilot flight time limit of 10 hours. read more news The order on Friday cited "systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights" and criticised the lack of strict disciplinary measures against the officials. Despite the latest action by the aviation authority against Air India being unrelated to this month's tragic crash, it has laid bare the significant issues with the airline. On Thursday, it was also brought to light that authorities previously warned the airline for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment of escape slides. The latest order by assistant director of operations at the DGCA, Himanshu Srivastava, said: "Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible." Most read in The Sun Air India said it has implemented the DGCA order and in the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre. The airline added: "Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices." Shock moment passenger threatens to CRASH Air India plane mid-flight in furious row just days after Ahmedabad disaster The DGCA stated in its order that Air India had voluntarily disclosed the violations. Investigators are continuing their probe into what caused the airline's London-bound plane to plunge to the ground moments after takeoff in Ahmedabad. Air India said on Thursday that the The airline's chief N Chandrasekaran also hit back at 'speculation' on what caused the London-bound flight to crash a minute after take-off. And it was revealed that the The Indian government has the final say on who probes the device, but reports say the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, D.C. is being considered for the analysis. A team of Indian investigators is expected to accompany the device to ensure all protocols are followed during the Investigators warned on Tuesday that the recovered 7 The plane seconds before disaster with its landing gear still extended Credit: x/nchorAnandN 7 People stand near debris at the crash site Credit: EPA 7 The plane's tail can be seen sticking out of a building following the crash Credit: AP 7 Lone survivor of the Air India plane crash Vishwash Ramesh pictured at his family home in Diu, India Credit: Dan Charity Planes usually carry One records flight data, such as altitude and speed, whilst the other monitors the cockpit sound. The Despite the name, these devices are painted bright orange for visibility amid debris. Investigators believe the CVR on this 2014-delivered aircraft likely stored only two hours of cockpit audio. The jet predates a 2021 rule which enforced 25-hour recordings on all planes. But the FDR is capable of logging thousands of flight parameters for over 25 hours, including altitude, airspeed, and control inputs. The aircraft had climbed less than 600 feet before its ascent stalled, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. A distress signal was sent but was met with complete radio silence. Moments later, the plane crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex near the airport's northeastern boundary. The damaged black box is now seen as a crucial piece of evidence in understanding what led to India's worst air disaster in nearly three decades. Investigators hope the data from the box will shed light on the aircraft's final moments. 52 Brits died on board the flight, but London local Leading theories on Air India Flight AI171 THESE are some of the leading theories explaining the tragic Air India disaster which killed at least 270 people. Emergency power system : A small turbine generator was seen deploying as the Boeing 787 went down, experts said. Footage showed a "protrusion on the belly of the aircraft" with a "little grey dot" beneath it. Commentators say this was a system called Ram Air Turbine (RAT) poking out from the fuselage of the plane. Bird Strikes : A bird strike could have taken out both of the jet's giant General Electric engines. While a bird taking down something the size of a commercial airliner might sound fanciful, there are numerous examples. Wing flap position : Aviation experts have suggested the position of the aircraft's wing flaps could have played a role in the disaster. Video evidence suggests the flaps were either fully retracted or on a very minimal setting, which would have provided very little lift. The flaps provide crucial extra lift at low speeds during take-offs and landings. Pilot error : The state-of-the-art Boeing 787-8 is highly automated, with human pilots making only key decisions - but human error cannot be ruled out. Co-pilot Clive Kundar had more than 3,400 hours of flying experience and made the mayday call but Captain Sumeet Sabharwa at the helm had 11,500 hours - making him one of Air India's most experienced pilots. Heat : Planes get less lift on a hot day due to lower air density, and therefore they need to go faster to get as much lift as on a cooler day. This is particularly important when an airliner is heavy with fuel, passengers and baggage, as the Air India flight was. Technical error : Catastrophic technical or engineering issues have not been ruled out. The jet's complex design mean it could take months for a design or engineering fault to be pinpointed.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Shock moment passenger threatens to CRASH Air India plane mid-flight in furious row just days after Ahmedabad disaster
THIS is the shocking moment a woman allegedly threatened to crash a plane in India during a row with cabin staff. The incident comes just days after the tragic Ahmedabad disaster, in which at least 270 people sadly died. Advertisement 5 A major ruckus occurred on board an Air India Express flight Credit: X 5 A woman can be seen yelling at passengers and crew on board the flight Credit: X 5 The plane had been due to take off at around 2.30 pm Credit: X In a now viral clip, a woman can be seen The row is reported to have taken place on an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Surat. A woman, identified as Dr Vyas Hiral Mohanbhai, 36, was taken off the flight and detained by police following the incident on Tuesday, the Indian Express has reported. She reportedly left her bag in the front row of the plane before making her way to her seat 20 F. Advertisement read more in world news The plane had been due to take off at around 2.30 pm. But when cabin crew objected to where she had placed her bag and asked her to stow it in her overhead locker, she refused, according to NDTV. She is said to have instead insisted that cabin crew move her bag to her seat for her. But despite requests from the crew and an intervention from the captain, she still declined to comply - leading to the chaotic row. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun She also shouted at passengers who attempted to reason with her. The situation then escalated further when she allegedly yelled threats about crashing the plane, local media has reported. New video of doomed Air India flight 'shows Boeing 787 did lose power' just before crash This prompted the crew to alert security, who removed her from the flight. She was subsequently booked by Bengaluru International Airport Limited police. Advertisement A dramatic video of the alleged incident has circulated online, which shows a woman shouting at crew and fellow passengers - despite their best efforts to pacify her. The cabin crew can be seen trying in vain to calm her down, while some passengers also attempt to intervene. At one point, the woman can even be seen appearing to strike another passenger. It took place on a flight operated by Air India Express, which is a subsidiary of Air India. Advertisement The incident comes days after the horrifying crash of Air India flight 171 in Ahmedabad last week. All passengers and crew - except for one miracle survivor - died in the crash, which killed at least 270 people. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had been en route to London Gatwick, but crashed less than a minute after take-off . India's Ministry of Civil Aviation said the tragic incident remains under investigation and that more information will be provided in due course. Advertisement 5 She is said to have instead insisted that cabin crew move her bag to her seat for her Credit: X 5 The cabin crew can be seen trying in vain to calm her down Credit: X
