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News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Ahmedabad Crash: Transport Committee May Discuss Air Safety Concerns, Likely To Summon Airlines
Last Updated: Representatives from airlines, Airports Authority of India & CISF may be asked to depose before the panel, apart from companies running helicopter services in religious locations Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture are likely to raise broader concerns surrounding air safety in light of the Ahmedabad flight crash and the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath. Several members have already urged committee chairperson Sanjay Jha to prioritise the issue. It is learnt that the Jha-led panel will formally decide to take up this matter of urgent public concern and seek that the Ministry of Civil Aviation officials, BCAS and the DGCA appear before it. The committee is aware of the ongoing investigation in the Air India crash case and therefore, would not think it wise to single out this case, the sources said. Representatives from various airlines, Airports Authority of India (AAI), and CISF are expected to be asked to depose before the panel. The companies running helicopter services in various religious locations like Mata Vaishnav Devi and Kedarnath are also expected to be present before the committee. 'The recent crash has been very disturbing and with all kind of theories floating, we want to understand what the SOP really is in such cases and what are technicalities and technical challenges, role of the pilot etc," a source said. The committee also has BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy as its member. Rudy has been the former civil aviation minister in the Vajpayee government and is also a commercial pilot. Even after the Ahmedabad crash, a series of technical snags was reported onboard the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft over the last 48 hours, leading to several questions about the safety of passengers. Meanwhile, after the Kedarnath crash on Sunday, operations of Aryan Aviation for the Char Dham Yatra were suspended with immediate effect. Two helicopters belonging to M/s TransBharat Aviation—VT-TBC (PIC: Capt. Yogesh Grewal, CPL(H)-1453) and VT-TBF (PIC: Capt. Jitender Harjai, CPL(H)-1046)—were found to have been airborne under similar unsuitable weather conditions. Accordingly, the licenses of both pilots have been suspended for six months. A high-level enquiry has also been ordered both in the case of the Ahmedabad crash and the Uttarakhand crash. Apart from this, the Centre also set up a high-level committee led by the home secretary on cases like the Ahmedabad crash. First Published: June 17, 2025, 09:28 IST
Canada Standard
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
Former Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy condoles Ahmedabad plane crash tragedy
Patna (Bihar) [India], June 13 (ANI): Former Union Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy condoled the Air India flight crash near Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport on Thursday. Rudy highlighted how the plane's model, Boeing's 787-8 Dreamliner, is known for efficiency, and he cannot comment on the cause before an investigation is completed.. 'This is very sad and unfortunate. But I am not an expert. It will be very difficult to say what the cause of the accident was. It can be clear only after an investigation. This was a 787 Dreamliner aircraft which is considered a very efficient aircraft. It can easily fly for 12-14 hours after taking off,' the former union minister told reporters here. 'The flight was going from Ahmedabad to London. So, the plane must have 80-90 tons of fuel...I can't comment on the cause of the accident, but only after an investigation can it be clear. This is very sad and unusual,' he added. Earlier, Rudy condoled the demise of people in the crash in a post on X. 'The tragedy of the plane crash in Ahmedabad has deeply saddened my heart. This pain is beyond words. My condolences are with all the passengers, crew and their families. I pray to God to give strength to the bereaved families and speedy recovery to the injured,' the former union minister wrote. Earlier today, Rajasthan Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa expressed grief over the incident, and that 'all central and state activities have been stopped.' 'This is the first time such a thing has happened and the loss is unbearable. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have reached the spot. The injured will be given relief... All state and central activities have been stopped... May the deceased rest in peace,' Bairwa said. Till now, one survivor has been found in the deadly crash of an Air India plane carrying 242 people, after it rammed into a nearby doctors' hostel shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, a senior police officer said. Speaking to ANI on a phone call, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik says, 'The police found one survivor in seat 11A. He has been in the hospital and is under treatment. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area.' The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. 'After the takeoff, the plane crashed here and after a preliminary enquiry, we got to know that the ... plane crashed into a building, which is a doctors' hostel,' Jaipal Singh Rathore, Joint Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad, told reporters. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the doctors' hostel near the airport perimeter. Air India said that among the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian national. As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. Immediately after departure, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. The official said that heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site. (ANI)
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Shatrughan Sinha calls Air India crash a rare catastrophe, questions safety lapses
Mumbai: Trinamool Congress MP and Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha expressed deep sorrow over the recent Air India crash, calling it a 'rare catastrophe' that has shaken the nation. Reflecting on the tragic incident, he questioned possible safety lapses and stressed the urgent need for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind the sudden failure of one of the world's most advanced aircraft. Speaking to the media, Sinha called it one of the most shocking aviation disasters in recent memory. "I am speechless," he said, adding that the incident has not only taken away members of our society and families but also raised serious concerns about safety protocols and accountability. The veteran actor pointed out the perplexing nature of the crash, particularly the reported simultaneous failure of both engines. 'This is one of the most powerful aircraft in the world. A Dreamliner doesn't just go down like that. If one engine fails, there is always a backup system. For both to fail at once seems highly unusual,' he remarked. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive and transparent investigation. Quoting insights from his close friend and fellow parliamentarian Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a trained pilot, he acknowledged that such a scenario is considered 'rarest of the rare.' He urged authorities and aviation experts to explore every angle—from technical failure to potential lapses in maintenance—before arriving at a conclusion. 'It is surprising that such an engine, such a strong plane, such a powerful aircraft — one of the world's strongest, most powerful, and largest planes — our Dreamliner, went down like this. The accident happened within a few seconds or minutes. People are saying that both engines failed at the same time, which seems impossible. When one engine fails, it is already very difficult, but having both engines fail simultaneously? That's rare, especially when there are systems in place to handle such emergencies. And all our friends are saying—I was listening to my younger brother-like friend Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who is also a very good pilot and a parliamentarian — and even he said this is one of the rarest of rare cases. This is the case of the Boeing Dreamliner,' mentioned Shatrughan Sinha. He went on to state, 'I am afraid to say this, that this is a matter of engine failure, that this is a matter of some kind of failure. I am very afraid to call it a conspiracy. But there are doubts; various things are happening. Now I would like a solution to this. Because it has shaken the whole world. This matter is not only about Putin and Trump; it is not limited to this. In fact, people from all over the world are in so much grief, in so much anxiety, and in so much worry that such a great, technically advanced thing happened with the Dreamliner. Now what has happened? It is a maintenance failure. I would not like to say anything about the pilots without an inquiry, because our pilots, they had an experience of 8,000 to 10,000 hours, more than that.' The veteran actor called for urgent answers, urging authorities to look beyond the immediate cause of engine failure. Expressing his concern, Sinha said, 'I am not saying that anyone did this. But there are questions: whose responsibility was it, and why did it happen?' He emphasized that while reports suggest maintenance or engine failure, the real concern lies in understanding the deeper cause. 'It happened within a few seconds, within a few minutes. How did it happen?' he asked, pressing for a swift investigation. Sinha stressed the importance of addressing these questions promptly to ensure accountability and prevent future disasters.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shatrughan Sinha reacts to Air India Crash, raises concerns over safety lapses
Trinamool Congress MP and Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha expressed deep sorrow over the recent Air India crash , calling it a "rare catastrophe" that has shaken the nation. Reflecting on the tragic incident, he questioned possible safety lapses and stressed the urgent need for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind the sudden failure of one of the world's most advanced aircraft. Speaking to the media, Sinha called it one of the most shocking aviation disasters in recent memory. "I am speechless," he said, adding that the incident has not only taken away members of our society and families but also raised serious concerns about safety protocols and accountability. The veteran actor pointed out the perplexing nature of the crash, particularly the reported simultaneous failure of both engines. "This is one of the most powerful aircraft in the world. A Dreamliner doesn't just go down like that. If one engine fails, there is always a backup system. For both to fail at once seems highly unusual," he remarked. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive and transparent investigation. Quoting insights from his close friend and fellow parliamentarian Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a trained pilot, he acknowledged that such a scenario is considered "rarest of the rare." He urged authorities and aviation experts to explore every angle-from technical failure to potential lapses in maintenance-before arriving at a conclusion. "It is surprising that such an engine, such a strong plane, such a powerful aircraft - one of the world's strongest, most powerful, and largest planes - our Dreamliner, went down like this. The accident happened within a few seconds or minutes. People are saying that both engines failed at the same time, which seems impossible. When one engine fails, it is already very difficult, but having both engines fail simultaneously? That's rare, especially when there are systems in place to handle such emergencies. And all our friends are saying-I was listening to my younger brother-like friend Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who is also a very good pilot and a parliamentarian - and even he said this is one of the rarest of rare cases. This is the case of the Boeing Dreamliner," mentioned Shatrughan Sinha. He went on to state, "I am afraid to say this, that this is a matter of engine failure, that this is a matter of some kind of failure. I am very afraid to call it a conspiracy. But there are doubts; various things are happening. Now I would like a solution to this. Because it has shaken the whole world. This matter is not only about Putin and Trump; it is not limited to this. In fact, people from all over the world are in so much grief, in so much anxiety, and in so much worry that such a great, technically advanced thing happened with the Dreamliner. Now what has happened? It is a maintenance failure. I would not like to say anything about the pilots without an inquiry, because our pilots, they had an experience of 8,000 to 10,000 hours, more than that." The veteran actor called for urgent answers, urging authorities to look beyond the immediate cause of engine failure. Expressing his concern, Sinha said, "I am not saying that anyone did this. But there are questions: whose responsibility was it, and why did it happen?" He emphasized that while reports suggest maintenance or engine failure, the real concern lies in understanding the deeper cause. "It happened within a few seconds, within a few minutes. How did it happen?" he asked, pressing for a swift investigation. Sinha stressed the importance of addressing these questions promptly to ensure accountability and prevent future disasters. --IANS ps/
NDTV
12-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
"Like A Fireball": Ex Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy To NDTV On Air India Crash
New Delhi: Former aviation minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a pilot himself, said today that the UK-bound Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, was carrying a huge amount of fuel and its crash had led to a massive explosion. The Boeing Dreamliner flight with 242 people on board, had crashed minutes after take-off and landed in the middle of the city, heavily damaging a medical college hostel. "The Air India flight must have been carrying 80-90 tonnes of fuel, it is like a fireball on crash," Mr Rudy told NDTV in an exclusive interview. The flight was carrying extra aviation fuel, which is extremely inflammable, in view of its long journey. As the flight went down -- its nose up, indicating the pilots were fighting a losing battle to gain height - a huge orange fireball was seen exploding above the tightly packed terraces. The crash took place at 1.38 pm as the aircraft lost altitude soon after takeoff. Preliminary information indicated that the plane had reached a height of approximately 825 feet when it suddenly descended. There was a mayday call from the pilot before everything fell silent. It is not yet clear what caused the crash. The ideas making the rounds include engine trouble and bird hit -- the area being full of birds at this time of the year. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an extremely sturdy aircraft and this particular one was in good condition, being only 11 years old, experts said. The authorities are hoping to learn more once the black box is recovered. But that could take time, given the high temperature in the area in the aftermath of the crash. rescue teams and foremen are at work at the site, clearing debris and looking for survivors. As condolences messages flowed in from across the world, Air India and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said he is in constant touch with people on the ground in Ahmedabad. "We will do everything in our power to help survivors and the families. A crisis response team has been set up and teams are going to Ahmedabad. We are also in touch with authorities and, of course, we want to find out the cause," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the crash is "heartbreaking" beyond words. He said he is in touch with Ministers and authorities working to help the affected families and resolve the situation. Union home minister Amit Shah is on way to Ahmedabad. "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. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter). The plane had 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, a Canadian and 7 Portuguese on board.
