Investigators probing the deadly crash of Air India flight 171 in which more than 270 people were killed have found that the aircraft’s emergency power system was likely active just before impact.
The Wall Street Journal reported that this possibly suggested an engine or hydraulic failure during takeoff, a rare and serious event in commercial aviation.
However, the investigators were yet to determine whether engine, hydraulic, or other system failures activated the emergency power, according to the outlet, which cited people familiar with the probe.
Air India has cancelled 66 Dreamliner flights since the 12 June crash in Ahmedabad, Indian aviation regulator DGCA said on Tuesday.
The airline has also delayed multiple flights serviced by Boeing 787-8. It has attributed the interruptions to grounded aircraft, technical issues, restricted airspace, and heightened safety protocols.
The DGCA, meanwhile, has found no major flaws in Air India’s Dreamliners, but flagged maintenance delays and coordination issues.
Families in india">India with concerns can call Air India on 1800 5691 444. Those outside India can call the British Foreign Office on 020 7008 5000.
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Key Points
- Air India cancels 66 Dreamliner flights since the crash that killed more than 270
- Emergency power was likely active before the crash - report
- Multiple international flights cancelled as Air India Dreamliners come under scrutiny
- India regulator finds no major safety flaws in Air India Dreamliner fleet
- Investigators recover cockpit voice recorder from crashed Air India flight
GoFundMe set up for two girls who lost their father in the crash
12:00
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Maroosha Muzaffar
More than £600,000 has been raised for two young girls, aged eight and four, who were orphaned after their father, Arjun Patolia, died in the 12 June Air India crash.
Just 18 days earlier, their mother Bharti Patolia had passed away from cancer.
Patolia was returning from India after fulfilling her final wish: to scatter her ashes in a sacred river, when he died in the crash that killed 241 people.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched to support the two girls. It said: “Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised. Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks.”
‘Why me?’ Six extraordinary stories of sole plane crash survivors after British man walks away from India Air disaster
11:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
After Viswashkumar Ramesh somehow survived the Air India plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Alex Ross takes a look at other lone survivors and how it changed their lives forever:
India orders nationwide airport emergency drills after devastating Air India crash
11:00
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Maroosha Muzaffar
In a 13 June memo titled “Updating Airport Emergency Plan” and reviewed by Reuters, India’s aviation authorities instructed all government-managed airports to conduct a full-scale emergency training exercise on 30 June.
These drills, which simulate crisis scenarios such as crashes or large-scale evacuations, are a standard component of airport preparedness and safety protocols.
The directive came in the wake of the deadly Air India crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives onboard and killed several more on the ground.
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
10:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Boy who recorded viral Ahmedabad crash video ‘still not feeling like himself’
10:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Aryan Asari, a 17-year-old airplane enthusiast, was filming from his father’s terrace in Ahmedabad when he witnessed and recorded the horrific Air India Dreamliner crash that killed 241 onboard and nearly 30 on the ground.
A lifelong fan of planes, Aryan was excited to see aircraft up close during his first visit to the city. But the trauma of watching the plane spiral and explode has left him deeply shaken.
“I saw the plane. It was going down and down. Then it wobbled and crashed right before my eyes,” he told the BBC.
His video became crucial to investigators and went viral.“My son is so scared that he has stopped using his phone,” his father, Maganbhai Asari, told the outlet.
Aryan is now trying to recover from the emotional impact, but his father fears he may never look at planes the same way again.
“This was Aryan’s first time in Ahmedabad. Actually, it was the first time in his life that he left the village,” Mr Asari said.
Retired army soldier Mr Asari now lives alone in a modest rooftop room near Ahmedabad airport, while his wife and two children remain in their ancestral village on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.
“Whenever I’d call, Aryan would ask if I could spot aeroplanes from our terrace and I would tell him you could see hundreds of them streaking the sky.”
The family had been swamped with interview requests after the viral video, and Aryan had a traumatic experience dealing with all that.
“My son was so disturbed by then that we decided to send him back to the village.”
Aryan has now resumed school but is “still not feeling like himself. His mother tells me that every time his phone rings, he gets scared”, Mr Asari said.
“I know he will be fine with time. But I don’t think my son will try looking for airplanes in the sky again.”
British man's family in distress over lack of support from UK and India governments
09:30
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Maroosha Muzaffar
The family of 25-year-old Faizan Rafik, a British man feared to be on the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad last week, is still awaiting official confirmation of his fate.
Despite providing DNA days ago, they’ve received no updates, leaving them in distress and without guidance, the BBC reported.
Rafik was returning to the UK after visiting his wife in Gujarat. His cousin has called for more support from UK authorities and expressed frustration at the lack of communication from both Indian and British officials.
Sameer Rafik, his cousin told the outlet that his family had been left “completely stuck” and that they “don’t know what to do”.
The crash killed 241 of 242 on board, including 53 Britons.
Mr Rafik said: “There’s no update on him, we don’t know if he’s dead or alive.”
“We are still hoping to hear some good news from India but unfortunately we aren’t getting any update from anywhere.“Faizan’s dad was asked to give DNA - it’s been more than four days now. We were supposed to have heard from the hospital by Monday but we haven't heard anything.
“We need to get some update about my brother. Was he there in the flight crash? If he wasn’t on the flight where is he? If he is on the flight then what’s the condition of the body?”
He added: “We haven’t had anything from the UK or India – it feels like he was the one paying tax to this country and the government doesn't bother about the person who has died.
“It feels very awful. He’s nothing to the government – just a piece of paper, feels like tearing it up and throwing it in the bin.
“We don’t know what to do because we’re completely blank. We need some kind of support from someone, we need a guide about what to do but we don’t have that at the moment.”
What do investigators mean when they say that 'emergency power was likely active' before the crash?
08:58
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Maroosha Muzaffar
On airplanes, there is a backup system called emergency power that turns on only if something goes seriously wrong.
In the case of Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad last week, people familiar with the probe told the Wall Street Journal that the emergency system was activated before the crash which meant that it is likely that both engines failed or that the plane lost some important systems that would have helped in giving it thrust.
Having the emergency power active means that something may have gone very wrong right after the takeoff.
It doesn’t, however, prove exactly what caused the crash, but it’s a big clue for the investigators.
Investigators recover cockpit voice recorder from crashed Air India flight
08:30
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Bryony Gooch
Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff outside Ahmedabad airport last week.
All but one passenger died after the London-bound Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into the campus of a medical college in Ahmedabad city on Thursday afternoon. Only one passenger among the 242 aboard survived.
At least 29 others on the ground, including five medical students inside the hostel, were also killed.
The CVR, which captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot conversations along with the flight data recorder, will be key to determine the possible cause of one of the worst aviation disasters in decades. The flight data recorder was recovered from the crash site over the weekend.
Read more here from Alisha Rahaman Sarkar:
Is flying getting more dangerous? Ask Simon Calder Anything
08:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
The heartbreaking crash of Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick has shocked many and raised serious questions about aviation safety, but are fears justified?
Join The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder for a live Q&A at 1pm BST on the risks, regulations and realities of flying in 2025 – from the air safety to Boeing and what passengers need to know.
Submit your questions or follow the conversation here.
Crashed aircraft completed two flights before taking off for London Gatwick, regulator says
07:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
India’s aviation ministry confirmed that the Air India Boeing 787-8 that crashed on 12 June had completed two earlier flights, Paris to Delhi and Delhi to Ahmedabad, without issues before crashing shortly after takeoff en route to London, killing 241 of 242 on board and dozens on the ground.
The Indian aviation regulator said on Tuesday that Air India’s Dreamliner have no major safety flaws but flagged maintenance and coordination issues.
Aviation regulator said on Tuesday that since last week’s devastating crash, 66 Air India Dreamliner flights have been cancelled, including several international flights as well.
Regulator asks Air India for training data on pilots and dispatcher of crashed plane
07:00
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Maroosha Muzaffar
India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has requested detailed training records for the pilots and dispatcher of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing more than 270 people.
The move is part of a broader investigation into the tragedy, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The DGCA also asked flying schools nationwide to carry out compliance checks on safety procedures, training, and coordination, and told airports to hold full-scale emergency drills by 30 June, according to Reuters, which cited a confidential memo seen by them.
While no specific concerns have been raised about Air India's operations yet, the requests are standard post-crash procedures.
India orders nationwide airport emergency drills after devastating Air India crash
06:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
In a 13 June memo titled “Updating Airport Emergency Plan” and reviewed by Reuters, India’s aviation authorities instructed all government-managed airports to conduct a full-scale emergency training exercise on 30 June.
These drills, which simulate crisis scenarios such as crashes or large-scale evacuations, are a standard component of airport preparedness and safety protocols.
The directive came in the wake of the deadly Air India crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives onboard and killed several more on the ground.
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
06:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Air India cancels 66 Dreamliner flights since the crash that killed more than 270
05:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Since the fatal 12 June crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, the DGCA reported that Air India has cancelled 66 Dreamliner flights.
While inspections found no major safety issues with the 787 fleet, the regulator flagged maintenance concerns and urged better coordination across departments.
Most flight cancellations followed intensified inspections after the Ahmedabad crash, The Hindustan Times reported.
The DGCA is continuing its review of Air India and Air India Express operations in the wake of the tragedy.
India regulator finds no major safety flaws in Air India Dreamliner fleet
04:59
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, found no major safety flaws in Air India’s Dreamliner fleet after inspecting 24 aircraft, offering some relief amid post-crash scrutiny.
However, it flagged ongoing issues with spare-part delays and poor coordination between departments, warning these could affect reliability.
Despite the concerns, all inspected planes met current safety standards.
Following the crash, India’s civil aviation minister had ordered extended inspections of all 33 Boeing 787s in the Indian fleet.
Regulator asks Air India for training data on pilots and dispatcher of crashed plane
04:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
India's aviation regulator, the DGCA, has requested detailed training records for the pilots and dispatcher of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing more than 270 people.
The move is part of a broader investigation into the tragedy, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The DGCA also asked flying schools nationwide to carry out compliance checks on safety procedures, training, and coordination, and told airports to hold full-scale emergency drills by 30 June, according to Reuters, which cited a confidential memo seen by them.
While no specific concerns have been raised about Air India's operations yet, the requests are standard post-crash procedures.
Multiple international flights cancelled as Air India Dreamliners come under scrutiny
03:56
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Air India has cancelled or delayed multiple international flights operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners following last week’s deadly crash that killed more than 270 people.
Several international routes – among them London, Paris, Vienna, and Dubai – were disrupted on Tuesday as Air India halted operations on multiple flights.
The airline attributed the interruptions to a mix of factors: grounded aircraft, technical issues, restricted airspace, and heightened safety protocols.
In the past two days alone, at least three more Dreamliner flights have either been delayed or taken out of service amid intensified inspections mandated by India’s aviation authority, which is scrutinising all 33 of Air India’s Dreamliners.
A Boeing 777 on the San Francisco–Mumbai route was also sidelined due to a mechanical fault.
WATCH: British wellness couple posted ‘Goodbye India’ video from airport before fatal Air India plane crash
03:30
,
Bryony Gooch
‘Why me?’ Six extraordinary stories of sole plane crash survivors
02:30
,
Bryony Gooch
The sole survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed more than 270 people somehow walked from the wreckage of the aircraft after it crashed in the city of Ahmedabad.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was in seat 11A near the emergency exit, and managed to escape through the broken hatch. He was filmed after Thursday’s disaster limping along the street in a bloodstained T-shirt with bruises on his face.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plummeted seconds after take-off and erupted in a ball of fire, killing everyone else on board.
As extraordinary as it seems, the 40-year-old Briton’s miraculous escape isn’t the first story of a sole air-crash survivor. Dozens of stories have been shared from as far back as 1929, when 34-year-old Lou Foote survived a crash that killed 14 others in Newark, New Jersey.
Here, senior reporter Alex Ross takes a look at six survivor stories.
‘It’s all very raw’: Twenty victims of the Air India plane crash connected to the same London temple
01:30
,
Bryony Gooch
Thousands of people have been left in mourning after the Air India plane disaster claimed more than 240 lives on Thursday.
But one north-west London community, some 4,000 miles away from the Ahmedabad crash site, is feeling the impact more than most.
Twenty of the victims have connections to the same temple in Harrow, its leader has said, with multiple families now trying to come to terms with what has happened. Among those killed in the Dreamliner disaster are a mother and father who lost their son, a pilot, in a plane crash in France just a few years ago.
Holly Evans reports:
Watch: Miracle moment British survivor of Air India crash emerges from flames of wreckage
Wednesday 18 June 2025 00:30
,
Bryony Gooch
India regulator says no 'major safety concerns' on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet
Tuesday 17 June 2025 23:30
,
Bryony Gooch
India's aviation safety watchdog said on Tuesday surveillance conducted on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns, days after one of its jets crashed, killing at least 271 people.
"The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
The DGCA also said 24 of Air India's 33 Boeing 787 aircraft had completed an "enhanced safety inspection" it had ordered the airline to carry out.
The regulator, in a meeting with senior officials of Air India, raised concerns about recent maintenance-related issues reported by the airline.
It advised the carrier to "strictly adhere to regulations", strengthen coordination across its businesses and ensure availability of adequate spares to mitigate passenger delays, it added.
Experts say investigation into crash 'could take time'
Tuesday 17 June 2025 22:30
,
Daniel Keane
Aurobindo Handa, former director general of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, has 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.
Why is recovery of black box crucial to investigation?
Tuesday 17 June 2025 21:30
,
Daniel Keane
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 that led up to the crash of the Air India flight.
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.
He added 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.
Air India flight to London cancelled because of ‘precautionary checks’
Tuesday 17 June 2025 20:30
,
Daniel Keane
An Air India flight on the same route as a plane that crashed last week has been cancelled because of “precautionary checks”, the airline said.
Flight AI159 was planned to depart Ahmedabad, India, at 1.10pm local time on Tuesday, and arrive at Gatwick airport at 6.25pm BST.
Air India’s website shows the flight was initially delayed by one hour and 50 minutes but was later cancelled.
A flight from Gatwick to Amritsar, India, set to depart at 8pm BST was also axed.
Read our full story here.
British families of Air India crash victims feel 'abandoned' by UK Government
Tuesday 17 June 2025 19:30
,
Daniel Keane
Families of British victims of the Air India plane crash are experiencing "pain and frustration" due to delays in identifying and repatriating their loved ones, according to a government minister.
Among the deceased, 52 were British nationals. The sole survivor was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
Relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa, who died in the crash, said they felt “utterly abandoned” by the UK Government and called for more support on the ground in India.
A spokesman for the family, who lived in Gloucester, said they had to make appointments to see consular staff 20 minutes away in a hotel in Ahmedabad while their loved ones “lie unidentified in an overstretched and under-resourced hospital”.
Read our full piece below.
Watch: Miracle moment British survivor of Air India crash emerges from flames of wreckage
Tuesday 17 June 2025 18:30
,
Daniel Keane
Experts weigh in on the safety of sitting on seat 11A
Tuesday 17 June 2025 17:30
,
Daniel Keane
The miraculous survival of a passenger who escaped moments after his Air India flight crashed, killing all others on board, has sparked debate over whether his seat, 11A, is the safest on a plane.
However, aviation experts say that determining the safest seat is not so simple, as aircraft configurations vary significantly and survival usually depends on a complex combination of factors.
"Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict survivability based on seat location," Mitchell Fox, a director at the Flight Safety Foundation, a US-based nonprofit, said.
Pictured: Special prayer ceremony held for victims of Air India crash
Tuesday 17 June 2025 16:30
,
Daniel Keane
People gathered in Ahmedabad on Tuesday evening to remember the victims of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane, which crashed last week.
Local residents praise 'hero' pilot
Tuesday 17 June 2025 15:26
Local residents near the scene of the crash on Tuesday said their three-storey apartment building was directly on the path of flight AI171 - and that Captain Sabharwal appeared to have swerved to avoid them in pursuit of open ground.
Jahanvi Rajput, 28, told The Sun that "thanks to the pilot Captain Sabharwal, we survived. He’s a hero. It is because of him we are alive.”
"The green space next to us was visible to him and that’s where he went," she said.
The flight instead crashed into the top floor of an accommodation block where medical students had assembled to eat lunch.
Aviation safety watchdog asks Air India for pilot training records
Tuesday 17 June 2025 14:30
,
Daniel Keane
India's aviation safety watchdog has asked Air India for the training records of the pilots and dispatcher for the plane that crashed last week as part of its investigation into the incident that killed at least 271 people.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also asked all flying schools to conduct training compliance checks, according to the confidential memos, seen by Reuters.
The DGCA said the requests were part of a "regulatory" review of the accident, and also sought details of action taken following the watchdog's audits of Air India in the last few months.
It asked for the details to be provided by Monday.
Multiple Air India flights delayed or grounded in just 24 hours
Tuesday 17 June 2025 13:30
,
Daniel Keane
Multiple Air India flights have been delayed, diverted, or cancelled in the past few days amid heightened safety checks ordered by India’s civil aviation authority.
This comes in the wake of the deadly Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 people on board and more than 30 on the ground, and raised concerns over Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft operating in India.
An Air India flight from Delhi to Paris, AI143, was reportedly cancelled on Tuesday after mandatory pre-flight checks revealed an issue, the airline announced in a statement. As a result, the return flight, AI142 from Paris to Delhi scheduled for Wednesday, was also cancelled, NDTV reported.
Read our full story by Maroosha Muzaffar below.
Watch: Mourners line streets at funeral of Air India pilot
Tuesday 17 June 2025 12:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Passengers deboard for safety after Mumbai-bound Air India plane faces technical issue
Tuesday 17 June 2025 12:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
An Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata experienced a technical issue in its left engine after landing in Kolkata, forcing passengers to deboard for safety.
The delay lasted over four hours. Flight AI180 arrived at the Kolkata airport at 12.45am, when it faced a technical snag and passengers were asked to disembark.
This incident occurred just five days after a deadly Air India crash that killed 241 people onboard.
On Monday, another Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff due to a “technical issue”.
The pilot decided to turn back Air India flight AI315 as a precaution, citing safety concerns.
The plane landed safely and underwent checks. The plane is seven years old, Reuters reported.
Family of three UK citizens killed in Air India crash allege ‘disjointed’ response from government
Tuesday 17 June 2025 11:30
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Maroosha Muzaffar
The grieving family of three British citizens killed in the Air India crash has criticised the UK government for a “painfully slow” and “disjointed” response in India.
They say they’ve received conflicting information, lacked access to medical and forensic support, and felt abandoned by UK officials.
The family of Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee, and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa is urging the UK government to improve its communication with relatives who travelled to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, in the aftermath of the crash.
An undated family handout photo issued by the BBC of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara
A family spokesperson told The Guardian: “There is no UK leadership here, no medical team, no crisis professionals stationed at the hospital.
“We are forced to make appointments to see consular staff based 20 minutes away in a hotel, while our loved ones lie unidentified in an overstretched and under-resourced hospital.”
Abu Nanabawa, Akeel’s cousin said: “It seems to be a universally shared sentiment of frustration at the management of this whole crisis.”
He added: “At the moment, we just want to have the bodies so that we can bury them and mourn properly. In our faith and religion [Islam], it’s very important that the funeral gets done as soon as possible. It’s a part of the grieving process to bury and honour them, to return them as soon as possible and grieve them.”
Top Boeing official meets Air India chairperson to discuss Ahmedabad crash – report
Tuesday 17 June 2025 11:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Boeing Commercial Airplanes head, Stephanie Pope, reportedly met with Air India chairperson N Chandrasekaran in India on Monday to discuss the recent crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which killed 241 out of 242 people shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
The meeting, held at Air India’s headquarters near New Delhi, was also attended by top executives from GE Aerospace, which supplied the aircraft’s engines, sources told Reuters.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Air India, one of Boeing’s largest customers, has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet and over 200 new aircraft on order, including 20 additional 787s.
Air India boss tells employees ‘we will figure out’ what caused crash
Tuesday 17 June 2025 10:30
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Air India and Tata Group chairperson, N Chandrasekaran, told employees “we will figure out” what caused the crash during an address to 700 employees.
He also urged employees to remain strong and resilient following the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, calling it the “most heartbreaking crisis” of his career.
“Criticisms are there, and those of us who are very passionate… who are working on making this airline a great airline, and who genuinely care about what kind of a company we want to build, but it’s not easy to face criticisms. I want you to be strong. If you feel distraught, the word you should remember is determination. We are going to get through this. We need to show resilience. We need to use this incident as an act of force to build a safer airline,” Mr Chandrasekaran said, according to The Indian Express.
“It’s a very complex business…it’s a complex machine, so a lot of redundancies, checks and balances, certifications, which have been perfected over years and years. Yet this happens, so we will figure out why it happens after the investigation. So we just have to stay calm and not put our shoulders down. This is the time to be brave, time to be resolute, time to know that you have the full support,” he told the employees.
Hundreds bid emotional goodbye to pilot of doomed Air India flight
Tuesday 17 June 2025 10:00
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Hundreds paid their respects to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the Air India pilot who died in the Ahmedabad crash, at his final funeral in Mumbai on Tuesday.
A prayer ceremony at his Powai home was filled with grief, especially as his 88-year-old father performed the last rites.
Known for his humility and dedication, Sabharwal was remembered as a skilled pilot and devoted son, set to retire early to care for his ailing father.
“Very sad, a young life taken away. Unimaginable,” industrialist Niranjan Hiranandani was quoted as saying by NDTV.
“This is a thoughtful moment, we need to study this thoroughly. We cannot afford for lives to go like this again. The family is devastated. The only justice now is to ensure this moment leads to answers, to reforms. Safety and security must be a priority, not just in aviation, but in every sector.”
Captain Sabharwal, 55, had logged more than 8,200 flight hours.
Preliminary reports suggest he issued a mayday shortly after takeoff, likely attempting to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas, a decision made in crisis that may have saved many lives on the ground.
“I flew with him for many decades,” said a former cabin crew colleague. “We shared meals, memories, and long hauls. He was a dedicated son and an incredibly skilled pilot. Always peaceful, composed, and grounded. Never flaunted his position, just a wonderful soul.”
Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick ‘cancelled due to technical issue’
Tuesday 17 June 2025 09:25
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Maroosha Muzaffar
Air India flight AI-159 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was can