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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Kuki flight attendant's body reaches Manipur days after Air India tragedy, funeral likely today
The mortal remains of 28-year-old Lamnunthem Singson, a Kuki cabin crew member who died in the Air India Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, reached her hometown in Manipur's Kangpokpi district late Thursday night. Her funeral is likely to be held today, according to family members. 'Normally, we (the Kuki people) don't hold last rites at night. Most likely it will be held tomorrow. Today, there will be prayer sessions and other traditional funeral-related programmes,' a cousin of Singson told news agency PTI. Singson was among the 241 passengers and crew aboard Air India Flight AI 171, which crashed just seconds after takeoff. Her body was flown from Ahmedabad to Dimapur airport in Nagaland on an IndiGo flight and received by grieving family members, community leaders, and officials. On the way to Kangpokpi by road, the convoy paused briefly in Kohima, where members of the Kuki Union Kohima and Kuki Mothers' Association paid floral tributes. Earlier in the day, a solemn reception was held at Dimapur airport where representatives from multiple organisations gathered to honour the deceased and offer condolences to her family. Singson originally hailed from Old Lambulane colony in Imphal but had relocated to Kangpokpi in 2023 after ethnic violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Another cabin crew member from Manipur, 21-year-old Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma from Thoubal district, who belonged to the Meitei community, also died in the crash. Her mortal remains are yet to arrive in the state. Despite ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur, the tragedy has prompted a rare moment of unity across communities. Civil society groups from both Kuki and Meitei backgrounds have joined in mourning the loss of the two young women. Also Read | 'Her phone rang, but no one answered:' Air India cabin crew member's family shares ordeal after Ahmedabad crash "We are deeply sorry that one of our daughters, who was displaced due to the Manipur crisis, has met with such a tragic incident," said D J Haokip, General Secretary of the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Churachandpur, reported ANI. 'Our hearts are with the grieving families, and we stand in solidarity with them. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims of this heartbreaking tragedy.' The shared loss of two young flight attendants has brought a rare moment of unity amid months of ethnic violence in Manipur.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Body Of Air India Crew Member Lamnunthem Singson Reaches Manipur, Thousands Bid Her Farewell
Imphal: The body of Air India cabin crew Lamnunthem Singson, who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, reached her hometown in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Thursday night, after being flown to Dimapur airport in Nagaland. The 26-year-old was among the 241 passengers and crew aboard Air India Flight AI 171, which crashed just seconds after takeoff. Her body was flown from Ahmedabad to Dimapur on an IndiGo flight, and received by family members, community representatives, and officials at the airport. On the way from Dimapur to Kangpokpi by road, the convoy halted for a few minutes in the Nagaland capital to allow Kuki Union Kohima and Kuki mother's to bid her farewell and pay tribute to the departed soul, a cousin of Singson told PTI. "Normally we (the Kuki people) don't hold last rites at the night. Most likely it will be held tommorow. Today, there will be prayer sessions and other traditional funeral related programmes," he said. Earlier in the day, a solemn programme was held at Dimapur airport to receive the body of Singson. On the occasion, floral tributes were paid by officials and representatives from several organisations, including the Kuki Community Dimapur, Kuki Students' Union Nagaland, Naga Council Dimapur, Dimapur District Citizens Forum, Zeliang Youth Organisation Dimapur, Chumoukedima Kuki Union, and the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee. The groups offered condolences to the bereaved family and paid their last respects to the departed soul. Originally from Old Lambulane colony in Imphal, Singson's family relocated to Kangpokpi in 2023 following the outbreak of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the state. Tragically, another cabin crew member from Manipur, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, who belonged to the Meitei community, also died in the same disaster. Her body are yet to arrive in the state. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
IOL News
8 hours ago
- General
- IOL News
Air India flight crashes with 242 passengers on board
Air India Flight AI171 crashed in Ahmedabad, India Image: IANS Air India flight AI171 en route from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport crashed just minutes after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, prompting the closure of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for all operations. As a precautionary measure, the Ahmedabad airport has suspended all flight operations until further notice. 'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is currently non-operational. All arrivals and departures are temporarily suspended,' said an airport spokesperson. Air India released a dedicated hotline number for families and friends to receive updates about passengers. So far, no official confirmation has been issued regarding casualties or survivors. However, multiple visuals from the site show severe damage to buildings and the aircraft's fuselage embedded into a hostel structure. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers, took off from Ahmedabad at 1.38 p.m. and crashed five minutes later into a residential locality in Meghani Nagar, just outside the airport perimeter. The crash resulted in thick black smoke engulfing the area and widespread panic among local residents. The site of a plane crash in Ahmedabad, India Image: IANS The flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot with 8200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1100 hours. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft issued a 'Mayday' call moments after takeoff, after which radio contact was lost. Initial assessments suggest the possibility of multiple bird hits leading to engine failure, but officials stress that a detailed investigation will determine the exact cause. The DGCA, in an official statement, said: 'The aircraft crashed into a residential area five minutes after takeoff. A team comprising assistant directors of airworthiness and a flight operations inspector were already present in Ahmedabad and were collecting information at the site.' Emergency response teams, including seven fire engines and three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units from Gandhinagar, swiftly reached the site. Three additional NDRF teams are being moved in from Vadodara to assist with rescue and relief efforts. Air India confirmed the crash on social media, stating: "Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, June 12, 2025. We are ascertaining details and will provide updates as soon as possible." The airline added that it is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities. According to flight tracker Flightradar24, the aircraft bore the registration VT-ANB and had earlier flown from Delhi to Ahmedabad the same day. The passenger manifest, accessed by India Today, lists 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Among the passengers was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is en route to Ahmedabad to assess the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep shock over the tragic Air India plane crash, describing the incident as 'heartbreaking beyond words.' 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. I have been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,' PM Modi said in a post on X on Thursday. Modi has directed authorities to initiate urgent rescue and relief measures. Further updates are awaited as investigation and rescue operations continue. Several global leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on Thursday expressed shock and grief. "The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating. I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time," Starmer posted on X. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also took to social media, offering his deepest condolences on the tragic accident. "Horrible news of a passenger plane crash in India. My deepest condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire people of India on this tragic day. Our thoughts are with all victims' relatives and close ones in India, the UK, Portugal, and Canada. We share your shock and grief on this tragic day. We all pray for as many lives to be saved as possible and wish a speedy recovery to those injured," Zelensky posted on X. Russia's Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov termed the accident as a major catastrophe. "Heartbreaking news is coming from Ahmedabad. My heartfelt sympathy to the families and near ones of the victims and to all Indian people and the Government of India over this tragic major catastrophe!" he said. SUNDAY TRIBUNE A plane enroute to London crashed in a residential area in Ahmedabad, India on Thursday Image: IANS
International Business Times
12 hours ago
- General
- International Business Times
Air India Plane that Crashed Killed All Passengers but One Had Recently Been Fitted with New a Engine, Airline Chairman Reveals
The Air India plane that crashed last week, claiming the lives of at least 270 people, had one of its engines replaced recently, the airline's chairman said. Flight AI171 went down less than a minute after taking off from Ahmedabad last Thursday, crashing into a medical college hostel. The crash killed 241 of the 242 passengers onboard, along with several more people on the ground. Speaking to an Indian news outlet, Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said that both of the aircraft's engines had a "clean" operational record. Several theories have surfaced since the crash, but the actual cause is yet to be determined as investigations continue into the incident. Chilling New Details Emerge "The right engine was a new engine put in March 2025. The left engine was last serviced in 2023 and due for its next maintenance check in December 2025," Chandrasekaran said. As investigators sift through the wreckage and examine the flight data retrieved from the aircraft's black boxes—both recovered earlier this week—Chandrasekaran urged the public to avoid jumping to conclusions about the cause of the crash. "There are a lot of speculations and a lot of theories. But the fact that I know so far is this particular aircraft, this specific tail, AI171, has a clean history. "I am told by all the experts that the black box and recorders will definitely tell the story. So, we just have to wait for that." Meanwhile, the only person to survive the crash, 40-year-old British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, revealed he is struggling with deep survivor's guilt following the loss of his brother Ajay, who was also on the flight. Ramesh said that he had initially tried to book two adjacent seats on flight AI171, which crashed into a heavily populated area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff. However, by the time he finalized the booking, he had no choice but to select two separate seats located in row 11. Ramesh said: "If we had been sat together we both might have survived. I tried to get two seats together but someone had already got one. Me and Ajay would have been sitting together. "But I lost my brother in front of my eyes. So now I am constantly thinking 'Why can't I save my brother?'" Narrow Escape Ramesh, who was seated near one of the aircraft's emergency exits, managed to escape by crawling through a gap in the mangled fuselage of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. His brother Ajay, seated in 11J, was killed along with 240 other passengers and crew members. Ramesh even tried to get back to the burning aircraft to save his brother but he was stopped by emergency workers. Emergency worker Satinder Singh Sandhu said: "I walked nearer to Mr Ramesh, grabbed him by the arm and led him away to a waiting ambulance. I had no idea that he was a passenger on the plane and thought he was a resident of the hostel or a passerby. "He was very disoriented and shocked and was limping. There was also blood on his face, but he was able to speak. "He told the paramedics that he was flying to London when the plane fell and that he wanted to go back to save his family." Vishwash, with bandages on his face, was seen yesterday carrying his brother's coffin during a funeral ceremony held in Gujarat. Later, he broke down in grief and had to be escorted away.
Sky News AU
12 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Very serious': Air India warned by country's aviation regulator for breaching safety rules days before mass casualty disaster
Air India was warned for breaching safety rules by the country's aviation regulator before it made global headlines following a mass casualty disaster. Flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad en route to London's Gatwick Airport last Thursday. According to government documents, planes flew despite being overdue checks on emergency equipment and for being slow to address the issue. While the warning notices, as well as an investigation report, were not in any way related to last week's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 plane that killed everyone onboard except one man, they were sent days before the catastrophic incident. In the report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said spot checks in May on three Air India Airbus planes found that they were operated despite mandatory inspections being overdue on the "critical emergency equipment" of escape slides. In one case, the watchdog found the inspection of an Airbus A320 jet was delayed by more than a month before being carried out on May 15. AirNav Radar data shows that during the delay the plane flew to international destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah. Another case, involving an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes, showed checks were over three months late, while a third showed an inspection was two days late. "The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements," the DGCA report said. Air India "failed to submit timely compliance responses" to deficiencies raised by the DGCA, "further evidencing weak procedural control and oversight," it added. Checks on escape slides are "a very serious issue and "in case of accident, if they don't open, it can lead to serious injuries," said Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at the government's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The DGCA said in its report the certificates of airworthiness for aircraft that miss mandatory checks were "deemed suspended". An Indian aviation lawyer said such breaches typically attract monetary and civil penalties on both individual executives and the airline. The sole survivor of the Air India crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, has since attended his brother's funeral in the western Indian coastal town of Diu on Wednesday. Ramesh, grief-stricken, had just left hospital and had bandages on his face from the cuts and bruises sustained from the crash which killed 241 people on board, including dozens on land. Funerals have taken place in Ahmedabad for the victims of the crash, with scores of heartbroken relatives farewelling family members and friends who tragically perished. -with Reuters
