30 killed in bus accident

Barely a week after the Mangalore air crash, about 30 passengers were charred to death and 27 seriously injured when a government bus caught fire after turning turtle on the outskirts of Challakere near here in the early hours of Sunday.

The North East Karnataka State Transport Corporation (NEKSRTC) bus was on its way to Bangalore from Surpur in Yadgir district when it rammed into a cement retaining wall near Nayakanahatty Cross on Bidar-Srirangapattana State Highway. It then fell into a ditch and within minutes was engulfed in flames after the iron rods of the retaining wall pierced its diesel tank.Most of its 64 passengers, labourers heading to Bangalore in search of jobs, were asleep when the accident occurred. Police and fire force personnel rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control.The dead included 15 women, 10 children and five men, some of whom were charred beyond recognition. The 27 injured have been admitted to Challakere government hospital.Three of them, who are said to be in critical condition, have been shifted to district hospital in Chitradurga. Two drivers, the conductor and four passengers have escaped unhurt. Identity of all the victims has been established.
Driver’s negligence
Transport Minister R Ashok, who visited the spot, said a team led by Superintendent of Police, Labhu Ram, had been constituted to probe into the accident and submit a report in a week. According to early reports, the accident occurred due to the negligence of the driver who had consumed alcohol, he said. There were two drivers —Siddayya Madanayya Hiremutt and Amarashetty — in the bus, which left Surpur at 7 pm on Saturday. Siddayya is said to have taken over the wheel at Siraguppa where the vehicle was stopped at a dhaba for dinner. Speed governors had been installed on all buses, including the Volvos, to restrict the speed to 70 kmph. But according to the minister, a child in the seat behind the driver’s had overheard a conversation between the two drivers, with one cautioning the other about rash driving. SP Labhu Ram said a case had been registered against the driver and the NEKSRTC. The drivers and the conductor, Nandanagouda, are in police custody.
Compensation
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who expressed shock at the tragedy, has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for each victim from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The NEKSRTC has also announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh to the kin of each of those killed and Rs 25,000 for the injured.State Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy also visited the spot to supervise rescue and relief operations. NEKSRTC Managing Director Shankar Patil earlier said according to preliminary information, the driver, in his attempt to avoid hitting one more bus rammed into the barricade. The casualties were high due to the fire. “As per norms, we had kept two drivers. One driver with 20 years of experience always drives on that road and the second one was having five years of experience,” he said.

ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಪತಿ ಪದಕ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಸಮಾರಂಭ, ರಾಜಭವನ ದಿನಾಂಕ: 25-05-2010

From Prajavani, Dated: 26-05-2010

ಅಗ್ನಿಶಾಮಕ ಕಾಯ್ದೆ ತಿದ್ದುಪಡಿ

From Sanjevani dated: 24-05-2010

ಮಂಗಳೂರು ಬಜ್ಪೆ ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ ಬಳಿ ಐಎಎಕ್ಸ್-892 ವಿಮಾನ ಅಪಘಾತ

From Sanjevani, Dated: 22-05-2010


 
 
 
 

India plane crash kills up to 160

Up to 160 passengers have been killed after a plane crashed and burst into flames as it landed at Mangalore, in southern India.


Firefighters perform rescue operations around the wreckage of an Air India plane that crashed in Mangalore.

The Air India Express aircraft, believed to be a Boeing 737-800, was at arriving from Dubai, where many Indians work, when it overran the runway and careered out of control. It is believed that eight passengers survived the crash. They are being treated in hospital. It is reported there were 160 passengers and six crew on board. Local television showed footage of the crashed plane lying on its belly some distance off the runway with smoke billowing from the fuselage. It came to rest in dense vetegation. The dramatic footage also showed rescue workers taking away what looked like the body of a child from the crash site. Firefighters sprayed foam on the plane as rescue workers battled to reach the site. However, the airport’s location, on a plateau surrounded by hills, made it difficult for the firefighters to reach the scene, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was urgently investigating whether there were any Britons on board. Anup Shrivasta, Air India's personnel director, told a news conference in Mumbai. “As far as the information available with us is concerned, eight persons were rescued and shifted to local hospitals in Mangalore for their treatment. Air India is right now busy in confirming the casualties." Prabhakar Sharma, the Deputy Commissioner of Mangalore, said: “Rescue operations are in full swing at the site and all government agencies are attending the situation.” Superintendent Subramaneshwar Rao, of Mangalore police, said: “Chances [of finding more survivors ] are very bleak as most of the plane has been burned out.” Another Mangalore police official said smoke from the crash site was making it difficult for rescue workers to gain access to the plane.
Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, sent his condolences and promised compensation for the families of the victims. Aviation experts said the airport’s “tabletop” runway, which ends in a valley, makes a bad crash inevitable if a plane overshoots it. The airport is about 19 miles outside Mangalore city. The crash could be the deadliest in India since the November 1996 mid-air collision between a Saudi airliner and a Kazakh cargo plane near New Delhi that killed 349 people.

Mangalore-bound AI plane crashes, leaves 160 dead

A Mangalore-bound Air India Express plane overshot the runway at Bajpe Airport in Mangalore at 6.30 am this morning. At least 160 people are feared dead. The Boeing-737 coming from Dubai burst into flames soon after it overshot the runway while landing at the airport, said eye witnesses. The plane, manned by a Russian expat pilot reportedly landed 2000 feet from touchdown point. As many as 25 ambulances and firefighters have reached the spot and rescue efforts are on. Karnataka home minister VS Acharya told a TV channel: "There were 169 passengers on board, including four infants. Six or even of them may have survived." Rescue operators from the site say the weather is very bad and that is impeding speedy operations.
Aviation experts say that landing an aircraft in the Table Top airport in Mangalore requires special skills. The Boeing 737 is equipped with enough gadgets for a safe landing, so speculation is that human error maybe the cause of the accident. Experts also argue that if the visibility was poor, the pilot could have taken the aircraft up again and hovered around the airport till the visibility improved. But since the blackbox hasn't yet been recovered, the exact cause of the crash remains unknown. The Bajpe airport was inaugurated only 10 days ago. Sonia Gandhi and Karnataka CM have condoled the death of the passengers. UPA has cancelled its anniversary celebrations.

Air India Plane Over Shot in Mangalore . Dubai to Mangalore

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DUBAI WORLD REMOVES THE IMF: IMF REMOVES AIR INDIA LANDING GEAR 5-22-2010

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Air India Express aircraft crashes at Mangalore airport BBC reports

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Air India Express Crashes at Mangalore Airport

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AI Express flight catches fire at Mangalore, casualties feared

Mangalore: An Air India Express flight with over 170 passengers on Saturday overshot the runway while landing in Mangalore from Dubai. Though there was no immediate official word on the casualties, aviation sources say at least 60 are feared dead. About 25 fire tenders and ambulances were at the crash site, authorities said. Rescue operation was hampered by the thick smoke that engulfed the plane, airport authorities said. Confirming the incident, Karnataka Home Minister VS Acharya said that there is a big fire in the aircraft. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel has immediately left for Mangalore to take stock of the situation. Terming the incident as unfortunate and unexpected, Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily said that a probe will be launched into the incident. The flight IX-892, operated by a Boeing 737-800, had 163 passengers, 4 infants and 6 crew members on board. The airport at Bajpe, about 30 km from Mangalore, is in a hilly area and is considered one of the most difficult airports to take off and land. The area has also been experiencing heavy rains for the last two days. Quoting preliminary reports, aviation sources said the aircraft overshot the runway, hit the fence and went beyond the boundary wall of the airport. Aviation sources termed it an 'accident' instead of 'incident'. In aviation parlance, an accident denotes causalities. AI has opened helpline centre at Delhi Airport and the two numbers are 011-25656196 and 011-25603101. Regarding the extent of damage, DGCA director-general SNA Zaidi told a news agency "we have received only preliminary reports regarding the accident. But we are waiting for the details including the number of passengers."

Fire in Reliance office in Bangalore

Bangalore: Fire broke out in the Reliance office housed on the first floor of a commercial building here today,fire force sources said.However, there were no casualties as the office was locked being a second Saturday, fire force sources told PTI. Three fire tenders rushed to the spot and the blaze was exitinguished within 20 minutes. "Short-circuit in the airconditioner was the cause of the mishap. Goods worth Rs five lakh including computers, printers, laptops and furniture were gutted in the fire", the sources said.

Tyres gutted

BANGALORE: A fire broke out in a tyre company godown on IV Cross off Mysore Road near Byatarayanapura here on Sunday and destroyed property.The incident occurred at 10.30 a.m. The reason for the accident is yet to be established. Three fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the fire, sources in the Fire and Emergency Services Department said. Meanwhile, the police are considering taking action against the owners of the godown for storing tyres in a residential area. Tyres, furniture and a few electronic goods were destroyed in the fire.

Attacked
Three persons were injured when their neighbours allegedly attacked them with machetes over demolishing an illegal construction at a public place near Madiwala here on Saturday midnight. The police have arrested eight persons in this connection.

Madiwala police said that Dinesh (25), Munesh (19) and Shashi (23) were attacked at Maruthi Nagar near Jai Bheem Nagar around 11.45 p.m. They suffered injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. Dinesh had allegedly encroached upon a piece of government land to construct his house. This had led to a tussle between the accused and Dinesh.

Gas Leakage at Uttarahalli Garage