India in mourning after over 240 killed in deadliest aviation disaster in decades

India in mourning after over 240 killed in deadliest aviation disaster in decades
An investigation team inspects the wreckage of Air India flight 171 a day after it crashed in a residential area near the airport, in Ahmedabad, India, on June 13, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 13 June 2025
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India in mourning after over 240 killed in deadliest aviation disaster in decades

India in mourning after over 240 killed in deadliest aviation disaster in decades
  • Sole flight survivor Ramesh Viswashkumar a British national of Indian origin, is being treated at a hospital, airline confirms
  • London-bound Dreamliner with 242 people on board also killed dozens more when it crashed into a medical college hostel

NEW DELHI, India: Indian authorities were combing the site of one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters on Friday, after an Air India plane crashed in the western city of Ahmedabad less than a minute after takeoff, killing all but one of its passengers. 

The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which had 242 people on board, also killed dozens more people when it crashed into a medical college hostel located just outside Ahmedabad airport and burst into flames on Thursday afternoon. 

The sole survivor, a British national of Indian origin, is being treated in a hospital, the airline confirmed. 

“We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words. Condolences to all the bereaved families,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media after visiting the crash site in the capital of his home state of Gujarat. 

The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese and one Canadian. 

The surviving passenger, who was in seat 11A next to an emergency exit in front of the plane’s wing, reportedly managed to jump out. He told Indian media that he had heard a loud noise shortly after flight AI171 took off. 

Various footage showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then sinking and disappearing from the screen, before a huge fireball could be seen rising into the sky from beyond the houses. 

Those killed on board include a family who was visiting India for Eid, a newlywed who is moving to the UK and Vijay Rupani, former chief minister of Gujarat. 

Health authorities are conducting DNA tests to identify bodies, which were mostly charred beyond recognition, as relatives take part and wait for officials to release the remains. 

Suresh Khatika, who was waiting at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital where the DNA testing was taking place, said his niece Payal Khatika was among the passengers. 

“Payal was going for further studies and she has taken a loan for it. She was really preparing herself for the day when she would go to the UK for studies,” Khatika told Arab News. 

“It is really tragic that her dream crashed like this. We are in deep pain, and don’t know how to react.” 

Many Indians have also taken to social media to mourn the victims, as their stories circulated widely. Among them is Dr. Pratik Joshi, who was reportedly bringing his wife, Dr. Komi Vyas, and three young children to move to the UK. A picture of the family, believed to be taken on the plane and shared with relatives before takeoff, has garnered millions of views online as messages of condolence poured in. 

In addition to the passengers and crew, dozens more people perished as they were caught in the path of the plane crash. 

Thakur Ravi, a cook at B.J. Medical College, said his mother and two-year-old daughter, who had been on the side of the building where the plane had crashed, were missing. 

“Other helpers and cooks managed to escape but my mother and daughter have been missing since yesterday,” Ravi told Arab News. 

“We are frantically hoping against hope to have my family back. It was a horrible incident. It seemed as if the sky had fallen on us.” 

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said a formal investigation headed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has been launched. 

Boeing said it was in touch with Air India and stood “ready to support them” over the incident. The UK and US air accident investigation agencies also announced they were sending teams to support their Indian counterparts.

India, the world’s third-largest aviation market, has endured several fatal air crashes on its soil, including in 1996, when two planes collided mid-air over New Delhi, killing around 350 people. In 2010, an Air-India Express jet crashed and burst into flames at Mangalore airport in south-west India, killing 158 of the 166 passengers and crew onboard. 


India eyes closer cooperation in pharmaceuticals, ceramics with Saudi Arabia

India eyes closer cooperation in pharmaceuticals, ceramics with Saudi Arabia
Updated 7 sec ago
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India eyes closer cooperation in pharmaceuticals, ceramics with Saudi Arabia

India eyes closer cooperation in pharmaceuticals, ceramics with Saudi Arabia
  • India is the world’s third-largest drug maker and second-largest ceramics producer
  • Saudi Arabia is India’s 5th largest trading partner, bilateral trade was $43 billion in 2023–24

NEW DELHI: India is seeking to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the pharmaceuticals and ceramics sectors, following virtual meetings earlier this week between Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal and his Saudi counterparts.

Goyal held separate discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim and Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih to explore ways to deepen trade and investment ties.

His meeting with Al-Ibrahim focused “on enhancing our trade & investment partnership and collaborating in key sectors” like pharmaceuticals, petroleum, and ceramics, while his conversation with Al-Falih centered on mutual growth, innovation, and long-term collaboration, Goyal wrote on X.

“We are confident of exciting growth prospects ahead for both nations,” he added.

In 2023–24, bilateral trade between India and Saudi Arabia reached nearly $43 billion, making India the Kingdom’s second-largest trading partner. Saudi Arabia, in turn, is India’s fifth-largest trading partner. Energy trade accounts for a major share, with Saudi Arabia being the third-largest source of India’s crude oil, petroleum, and LPG imports, valued at $25.7 billion in the last fiscal year.

India’s cumulative investment in Saudi Arabia reached $4 billion in 2023, marking a 39 percent increase from $2.39 billion in 2022.

The two countries have been in regular talks to deepen their strategic partnership.

During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jeddah in April 2024, “both sides reaffirmed the strong commitment to advance economic and investment partnership,” Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan, told Arab News on Friday.

He noted that India’s pharmaceutical and ceramics sectors, in particular, have the potential to contribute meaningfully to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation initiative.

NEW PARTNERSHIPS

India is the world’s third-largest drug producer by volume, after the US and China, and accounts for over 20 percent of the global supply of generic medicines. New Delhi is looking to boost exports to the Kingdom and enter into new partnerships in the pharmaceutical space.

“With annual pharmaceutical exports exceeding $30 billion, Indian pharmaceutical companies play a vital role in ensuring affordable and reliable health care across the globe. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia currently accounts for only about $200 million of India’s pharmaceutical exports — a relatively small share that underscores significant untapped potential,” Ambassador Khan said.

“As KSA pursues the goals of Vision 2030, which include building domestic manufacturing capacity, fostering knowledge-based industries, and ensuring health care security, the Indian pharmaceutical sector stands out as a natural strategic partner.”

India is also the world’s second-largest ceramics producer and the top global exporter of ceramic tiles. The government is looking to leverage this advantage in sectors such as construction and infrastructure.

“Indian ceramics are widely recognized for their quality, cost-efficiency, and manufacturing scale, particularly in segments such as tiles, sanitaryware, and refractories,” Khan said.

“Given the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s growing infrastructure, construction, and industrial development needs under Vision 2030, deeper cooperation with India’s ceramic sector holds significant potential.”


Crews rescue 18 miners trapped in Colombia

Crews rescue 18 miners trapped in Colombia
Updated 4 min 8 sec ago
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Crews rescue 18 miners trapped in Colombia

Crews rescue 18 miners trapped in Colombia
  • “They were all found to be in good health,” the National Mining Agency said
  • The workers became trapped on Thursday in a mine in the town of Remedios

REMEDIOS, Colombia: Emergency crews rescued 18 workers trapped in a gold mine in Colombia on Friday, the government said.

“They were all found to be in good health,” the National Mining Agency said on X after the 12-hour emergency rescue operation in northwest Colombia.

The workers — who were trapped underground for about 18 hours because of an equipment failure — walked out of the mine one by one in blue jumpsuits and yellow helmets.

They were greeted with cheers and hugs from colleagues above ground, who gave them energy drinks, TV footage showed.

The workers became trapped on Thursday in a mine in the town of Remedios in Antioquia department.

The mayor of Remedios said in a message sent to the government that the mine was apparently unlicensed.

Yarley Erasmo Marin, a representative of a local miners’ association, told AFP earlier that a mechanical failure caused the collapse of a structure designed to prevent landslides, blocking the mine’s main exit.

Images released by the National Mining Agency showed rescuers with flashlights during their search efforts.

The area around Remedios has a strong mining tradition.

Gold extracted in the region is known to sometimes finance armed groups such as the Gulf Clan, a cartel also involved in cocaine trafficking.

Coal mine accidents are common in Colombia, particularly in the central region where they claim dozens of lives each year.


UK sanctions Russian spies for ‘threats, aggression’

UK sanctions Russian spies for ‘threats, aggression’
Updated 11 min 14 sec ago
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UK sanctions Russian spies for ‘threats, aggression’

UK sanctions Russian spies for ‘threats, aggression’
  • “GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilize Europe,” said Lammy

LONDON: Britain on Friday slapped sanctions on the GRU Russian intelligence agency and 18 named agents accused of “spreading chaos and disorder” on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilize Europe, undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement, adding “Putin’s hybrid threats and aggression will never break our resolve.”


UN: Over 11 million refugees risk losing aid because of funding cuts

UN: Over 11 million refugees risk losing aid because of funding cuts
Updated 30 min 18 sec ago
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UN: Over 11 million refugees risk losing aid because of funding cuts

UN: Over 11 million refugees risk losing aid because of funding cuts
  • Agency highlights deadly confluence of factors pummeling millions of refugees and displaced people globally
  • UN refugee agency has said it needs $10.6 billion to assist the world’s refugees this year

GENEVA: Massive cuts to humanitarian budgets risk leaving more than 11 million refugees without desperately needed aid, the United Nations warned Friday.

That corresponds to a full third of the number reached last year by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

In a new report, the agency highlighted a deadly confluence of factors pummeling millions of refugees and displaced people globally: “rising displacement, shrinking funding and political apathy.”

“We are right now facing a deadly cocktail,” UNHCR’s head of external relations, Dominique Hyde, told reporters in Geneva.

“We are incredibly concerned for refugees and displaced populations around the world.”

Dramatic aid cuts by the United States and other countries have left UNHCR and other aid organizations facing gaping shortfalls.

UNHCR has said it needs $10.6 billion to assist the world’s refugees this year, but so far it has received just 23 percent of that amount.

As a result, the agency said it was seeing $1.4 billion of essential programs being cut or put on hold.

The impact, Hyde cautioned, risks being that “up to 11.6 million refugees and people forced to flee are losing access to humanitarian assistance provided by UNHCR.”

The agency said families were being forced to choose between feeding their children, buying medicines and paying rent.

Malnutrition is especially severe for refugees fleeing war-ravaged Sudan, where the UN has been forced to reduce food rations and nutrition screening, she said, decrying the “devastating impact for children who have fled to Chad.”

The cuts have also forced UNHCR to pause the movement of new arrivals from border areas to safer locations in Chad and South Sudan, “leaving thousands stranded in remote locations,” the agency said.

Health and education services for refugees are also being scaled back worldwide.

In camps in Bangladesh hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, education programs for some 230,000 children risk being suspended.

UNHCR also said its entire health program in Lebanon was at risk of being shuttered by the end of the year.

Funding for aid programs is not the only issue.

Last month, UNHCR announced it would need to cut 3,500 staff – nearly a third of its workforce worldwide – amid the budget shortfall.


UK MPs demand government respond to ICJ Israel ruling

UK MPs demand government respond to ICJ Israel ruling
Updated 43 min 30 sec ago
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UK MPs demand government respond to ICJ Israel ruling

UK MPs demand government respond to ICJ Israel ruling
  • In letter, they remind PM that Britain has not issued its position on ‘groundbreaking’ statement from year ago
  • 16 organizations also demand govt action to halt UK complicity in Israeli violations of Palestinian rights

LONDON: A group of 112 MPs has written to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer asking for the government to publish its response to the International Court of Justice’s advisory ruling on Israel’s occupation from July 19, 2024.

The letter, also addressed to Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Attorney General Lord Hermer, demanded that the government issue its reply to the ruling immediately, and “address the unlawful situation occurring in the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories), as well its own obligations under international law.”

Calling the ICJ judgement “groundbreaking,” the letter said it “made crystal clear determinations” that Israel’s “presence in the OPT, including Gaza, is unlawful and its policies and practices are incompatible with international law.”

It added that the opinion declared that “all Israeli settlements are illegal and must be withdrawn immediately,” that “Israel owes full reparation for all damage of its illegal acts since 1967,” and that “other states are obliged to not provide any sort of aid or assistance that maintains Israel’s unlawful presence in the OPT, referring to Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.”

Signatories include former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, Sir Winston Churchill’s grandson Lord Soames, and three bishops of the Church of England.

They reminded the government that the Foreign Office stated in the aftermath of the ruling’s release that it would consider the matter “carefully before responding,” and that: “The UK respects the independence of the ICJ ... The UK is strongly opposed to the expansion of illegal settlements and rising settler violence.”

The letter continued that the ICJ’s ruling established the “unlawfulness” of Israel’s actions as fact, and that the UK has a “legal duty to ensure that the government and British entities take all necessary steps to ensure that we are not complicit with this unlawful situation.

“This is particularly pertinent given the seriousness of the situation, the continued and increasing Israeli violations of international law, as well as the increase in illegal settlements.”

It added: “Between November 2023 — October 2024, Israel established 57 new settlements and outposts. However, the UK needs to not just denounce the rise in settlements but the mere existence of them, as regards the ICJ advisory opinion.

“The failure of the government to publish its response on the advisory opinion and address the unlawful situation occurring in the OPT, as well its own obligations under international law to avoid complicity, needs to be rectified.”

So far, beyond the Foreign Office’s pledge to respond, the government’s only comment on the matter has been an Oct. 22 statement that: “The UK does not disagree with the central findings of the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.”

Sixteen organizations, including the Council for Arab-British Understanding, have also written to the government demanding action to halt any UK complicity in Israeli violations of Palestinian rights.

Caabu Director Chris Doyle said: “It is an utter nonsense that a year on from this historic advisory opinion that the government has not issued its formal response.

“Sources have told Caabu that the legal response was drafted months ago. It is also not that complex a legal document based on many previous legal opinions. 

“What it highlights is the government’s continued aversion to hold Israel to account, its failure to uphold international law and respect these international judicial institutions as it claims it does.”

On Wednesday, Lammy appeared in front of the International Development Select Committee, where he was asked why the government had yet to respond to the ICJ ruling.

“It’s an 83-page opinion,” Lammy replied, “so it’s right that the lawyers that you’d expect within government assist and do the work that you’d expect them to do.”