Latest news with #AmitSingh
CTV News
9 hours ago
- CTV News
Missing international student Sahil Kumar found dead in Toronto as family abroad searches for answers
Sahil Kumar, a 22-year-old international student from India, went missing in May and was found deceased 10 days later at the Toronto waterfront. His family is searching for answers about what happened. (Supplied) The family of an international student from Hamilton, Ont. who went missing last month and was found deceased 10 days later in Toronto is heartbroken by the loss of their loved one and desperately searching for answers. Sahil Kumar, who was 22-year-old, came to Canada from northern India's Biwani district in April. He was living with roommates in Hamilton, Ont. and was enrolled in a one-year web design program at Humber College's downtown Toronto campus, his cousin Amit Singh told earlier this week. On Friday, May 16, Kumar took the GO train to Toronto for reasons that remain unclear. He exited Union Station, walked towards York Street, and was last seen near Yonge and Dundas streets at around 1 p.m., police said. He was reported missing the following day by friends who were 'concerned for his well-being,' Hamilton Police Service said in a news release. Hamilton police were initially handling the case and said at the time that there was 'nothing to suggest that Sahil was in any physical or mental distress prior to his disappearance' and that his online activity suggested 'he may have been interested in visiting the Toronto waterfront.' They added that he did not bring his passport or laptop with him and that his cell phone was shut off at around 1:30 p.m. that day. Kumar's body was ultimately found in the water on May 26. The man's cousin told CP24 that it was located in an industrial area along the Toronto waterfront. The investigation is now in the hands of Toronto police. In a statement provided to CP24. police noted that the investigation is ongoing but said that Kumar's death 'does not appear to be a criminal matter.' Sahil Kumar Sahil Kumar, a 22-year-old international student from India, went missing in May and was found deceased 10 days later at the Toronto waterfront. His family is searching for answers about what happened. (Supplied) 'We just don't know what happened,' says cousin Singh said his cousin's many relatives and friends in India are devastated by his unexpected death and are eager to better understand what happened to him. 'Even the day, he disappeared he was very, very happy,' said Singh, who had spoken to Kumar the evening before he went missing. Singh said his cousin told him that he liked Canada and that everything was going well. Kumar's only lament, he shared, was the cold weather. 'We're thinking everything on the planet, what could have gone wrong. … We have a lot of assumptions. We just don't know what happened,' Singh said, adding they fear their loved one could have been targeted in some way and are growing concerned that video footage from the area where he is believed to have gone will be deleted as days and weeks go by. 'Something must have happened because people don't just disappear from that area. … It just doesn't make sense.' The cousin said he was told by Toronto police that Kumar may have been met with some kind of misadventure as his cause of death was determined to be drowning. It's possible that Kumar might have slipped into the frigid water and suffered the deadly effects of hypothermia, Singh said he was told by the authorities. He added that there was some confusion when they called St. Michael's Hospital to inquire if Kumar was there. He said initially they were told that he was, but then the hospital said he wasn't. Singh added that they also have some questions about a jacket that his cousin was seen wearing in video footage but was not recovered with the body. The biggest question they all have, he said, is why and how Kumar ended up near and in the water. 'It's just tragic that this happened,' said Singh, who hopes to one day have the means to come to Canada and try to get answers. He said they've also been in communication with a couple of other Indian families who also sent a loved one to Canada to study only for them to die tragically. Kumar's body, meanwhile, has now been repatriated to India. Police 'worked diligently' on Kumar's case Sgt. Kim Walker, the missing person coordinator for the Hamilton Police Service, said investigators in both jurisdictions have 'worked diligently and collaboratively, sharing information and piecing together every available detail in an effort to bring clarity to Sahil's family. She added that the evidence eventually led beyond their jurisdiction and that's when the case was handed over to Toronto police. 'We understand that the emotional toll of being so far away, especially across such significant time zones, has made this experience even more painful for Sahil's family in northern India. Both TPS and HPS maintained regular communication with the family throughout the investigation, even when updates were difficult to deliver,' she said. Walker said she sympathizes with what the family is going through as her daughter, who is around the same age as Kumar, attends school in the United States. 'I can only begin to imagine the helplessness his family was feeling from so far away, especially given today's political climate. The distance can feel overwhelming, especially if you're concerned for your child's safety,' she said. 'We just wanted his family to know that we cared and we were doing everything we could to help find answers based on the evidence before us. While we're often seen simply as police officers, we are also parents, siblings, and members of this community. That perspective brings with it a deep sense of care, empathy, and a relentless commitment to seeking the truth.' Walker said their thoughts remain with the man's family and his loved ones during this 'incredibly difficult time.' 'We extend our heartfelt wishes for peace, healing, and continued support from their community both near and far,' she said. CP24 has also reached out to the Consulate General of India, Toronto, but we have not heard back. Anyone with further information about this case is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Morning Brief Podcast: Air India: Reboot or Relapse?
Seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad en route to London, Air India flight AI171 crashed, killing 241 of 242 people onboard, marking India's worst aviation disaster in over a this episode of The Morning Brief, host Anirban Chowdhury speaks with safety and flight ops expert Amit Singh, founder of Safety Matters Foundation as well as ET's aviation experts Forum Gandhi and Arindam Majumder, to unpack the tragedy that has shaken the foundations of India's aviation the black b ...Read More ox recovered and investigations underway, the episode explores what is known so far, the hard questions around airline accountability, and whether lapses in safety protocols played a role. ...Read Less
Canada News.Net
a day ago
- Canada News.Net
Investigators analyze flight recorders in deadly Dreamliner crash
NEW DELHI, India: Indian investigators are examining the black boxes from a Boeing 787 Dreamliner to determine the cause of a catastrophic crash that killed at least 270 people last week. The flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered from the wreckage and are expected to provide crucial details about engine performance, control settings, cockpit conversations, and potential distress signals. The Air India flight, bound for London, crashed into a medical college hostel shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. Only one person survived out of 242 on board, while 29 others were killed on the ground—making it one of India's worst aviation disasters in decades. The investigation is being led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with support from U.K. and U.S. authorities, including Boeing officials. Aviation expert and former pilot Amit Singh emphasized that black box data will be central to understanding the crash sequence. The cockpit voice recorder captures conversations and alarms in the cockpit, while the digital flight data recorder logs technical metrics such as engine thrust and control settings. "The data will reveal everything," Singh said, noting that communication with air traffic control and emergency warnings will also be analyzed. India's aviation regulator confirmed that a mayday call was made before the crash. Investigators are now reviewing CCTV footage, interviewing eyewitnesses, and examining the pilots' training history, the aircraft's maintenance records, weight and balance, and any prior technical issues. Former AAIB director Aurobindo Handa explained that the investigation will follow international protocols set out in the UN's "DOC 9756" manual. Given the extensive fire damage to the wreckage, Handa warned that assessing the condition of the black boxes—especially their ability to withstand extreme heat—will be critical to the inquiry. The Indian government has also formed a high-level committee to investigate the cause of the crash and recommend future safety measures. A preliminary report is expected within three months. Meanwhile, Air India's entire fleet of 33 Dreamliners is undergoing additional inspections and maintenance checks. The aircraft involved in the crash was 12 years old. Despite a number of safety concerns across Boeing's product line, this marks the first fatal crash of a 787 Dreamliner since the model began operations 16 years ago. There are around 1,200 Dreamliners currently in service worldwide.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Air India axes eight flights as entire Dreamliner fleet inspected after crash
Eight international flights due to be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners have been cancelled by Air India. They included services to London, Paris, Vienna and Dubai Air India has cancelled eight international flights and is inspecting it's entire fleet of Dreamliners as the investigation into last week's tragic crash continues. The axed flights, which affected services to cities including London, Paris, Vienna and Dubai, were all due to be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners - the aircraft model involved in the Flight 171 crash last Thursday. The airline cited a combination of aircraft unavailability, technical issues, airspace restrictions and extended safety checks as reasons behind the cancellations. At least three other flights operated by the same aircraft model have been grounded or delayed in the past 48 hours after the airline was ordered by India's aviation regulator to inspect its entire fleet. A flight due to depart Ahmedabad towards London Gatwick - the same route as the doomed aircraft in which all crew and passengers, except for one British man, lost their life - was also cancelled on Tuesday. An airline spokesman said the flight was cancelled "due to the unavailability of the aircraft, resulting from airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks, leading to longer than usual turnaround of aircraft." On Tuesday, India's aviation safety watchdog said surveillance conducted on the Boeing 787 fleet - which is a key component of the airline's long-haul planes - didn't reveal any major safety concerns. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement: "The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards." The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off with 242 people on board. Everyone on board, apart from Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was killed. As the plane came down, it also hit nearby buildings, killing 29 people on the ground. Investigators in the country are now studying the black boxes that were recovered from the aircraft wreckage to ascertain the cause of the crash. The black boxes will provide cockpit conversations and data related to the plane's engine and control settings to investigators and help them in determining the cause of the tragedy, which was one of India's worst aviation disaster in decades. Experts from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are probing the crash with assistance from the UK, the UK and officials from Boeing. Former pilot and an aviation expert Amit Singh said the recovery of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders are crucial to piece together the sequence of events. The cockpit voice recorder records pilots' conversation, emergency alarms and any distress signal made before a crash. The plane's digital flight data recorder stores information related to engine and control settings. Both devices are designed to survive a crash. "The data will reveal everything," Mr Singh said, adding that the technical details could be corroborated by the cockpit voice recorder that would help investigators know of any communication between air traffic control and the pilots. India's aviation regulatory body has said the aircraft made a mayday call before the crash. Singh said the investigating authorities will scan CCTV footage of the nearby area and speak with witnesses to get to the root cause of the crash. Mr Singh said the investigators will also study the pilot training records, total load of the aircraft, thrust issues related to the plane's engine, as well as its worthiness in terms of past performances and any previously reported issues.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Black boxes analyzed for cause of Air India crash that killed 270
NEW DELHI — Investigators in India are studying the black boxes of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner after recovering them from the aircraft wreckage to ascertain the cause of last week's plane crash that left at least 270 people dead. The black boxes will provide cockpit conversations and data related to the plane's engine and control settings to investigators and help them in determining the cause of the crash. The London-bound Air India aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed on a medical college hostel soon after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, while 241 people on board and 29 on the ground were killed in one of India's worst aviation disaster in decades. Experts from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are probing the crash with assistance from the U.K., the U.S. and officials from Boeing. Amit Singh, a former pilot and an aviation expert, said the recovery of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, or black boxes, are crucial to piece together the sequence of events. The cockpit voice recorder records pilots' conversation, emergency alarms and any distress signal made before a crash. The plane's digital flight data recorder stores information related to engine and control settings. Both devices are designed to survive a crash. 'The data will reveal everything,' Singh said, adding that the technical details could be corroborated by the cockpit voice recorder that would help investigators know of any communication between air traffic control and the pilots. India's aviation regulatory body has said the aircraft made a mayday call before the crash. Singh said the investigating authorities will scan CCTV footage of the nearby area and speak with witnesses to get to the root cause of the crash. Additionally, Singh said, the investigators will also study the pilot training records, total load of the aircraft, thrust issues related to the plane's engine, as well as its worthiness in terms of past performances and any previously reported issues. Aurobindo Handa, former director general of India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, said the investigators across the world follow a standard UN-prescribed Manual of Accident Investigation, also called 'DOC 9756,' which outlines detailed procedures to arrive at the most probable cause of a crash. Handa said the investigation into last week's crash would likely be a long process as the aircraft was badly charred. He added that ascertaining the condition of the black boxes recovered from the crash site was vital as the heat generated from the crash could be possibly higher than the bearable threshold of the device. The Indian government has set up a separate, high-level committee to examine the causes leading to the crash and formulate procedures to prevent and handle aircraft emergencies in the future. The committee is expected to file a preliminary report within three months. Authorities have also begun inspecting and carrying out additional maintenance and checks of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners to prevent any future incident. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet. The plane that crashed was 12 years old. Boeing planes have been plagued by safety issues on other types of aircraft. There are currently around 1,200 of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft worldwide and this was the first deadly crash in 16 years of operation, according to experts. Saaliq and Roy write for the Associated Press.
