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WestJet investigates cyber incident that affected app and internal systems
WestJet Airlines, Canada, is investigating an incident involving a cyber-attack that disrupted the mobile app, as well as some internal systems. The incident affected a number of users who were not disclosed, according to a Friday statement. WestJet has said that specialised teams within the company are working with law enforcement agencies and Transport Canada in order to determine the extent of the incident and minimize its impact. The company stated that it is too early to speculate about the cause or scope of the incident. WestJet spokesperson said that the operations of the company remain safe. Cyber threats have increased in Canada's critical infrastructure. In April, the energy provider Emera disclosed that unauthorized access was made to their business servers and network. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul in Bengaluru; Bipasha dey, Surbhi misra)
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British Indians 'in shock' at London vigil to mourn crash victims
Many of the members of the Indian community in Britain gathered on Saturday at a Hindu Temple in London to mourn the victims of the Air India crash this week. As those present chanted chants, leaders from Hindu, Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, Parsis, Zoroastrians, and other faiths offered their prayers. A representative from Britain's King Charles offered Christian prayers and read out his message. Rajrajeshwar Guruji of the Siddhashram Hindu Temple in Harrow compared the grief of families who lost loved ones in the crash of a London bound flight to waiting for the return of a loved one after an endless journey. In an interview, he stated that "They are just waiting and they will not come back." Guruji, a Gujarati native who came from the crash site, told how the temple helped British relatives find out more about their loved one. "Some members... "I have spoken to them and... they don't know the words," said he. "They're in shock." Britain is home to one of the largest Indian populations outside of India. Nearly 1,69 million people, or 3.1% of its population, identify as ethnically Indian. "We believe everyone born will have to leave one day." "I hope that nobody will go the way they have, including the passengers and medical students," said Harrow mayor Anjana Patel who lost a loved one. The plane crashed into a hostel for a medical school, killing many of the 242 passengers on board. Patel was informed that grief counseling is available through the council. She said, "We cannot imagine how people are feeling." Jyotsna Shkla, 66 said that her son's childhood buddy was on the flight with his wife, three children, and other family members. She said "I feel bad because he's so young" before breaking into tears. Vijay Rupani was among those who were killed. He had been a former Gujarat chief minister and visited the temple. Reporting by Muvija, Vitalii and Isabel Infantes. Editing by Paul Sandle, Joe Bavier and Joe Bavier.
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WestJet investigates cyber incident that affected app and internal systems
WestJet Airlines, Canada, is investigating an incident involving a cyber-attack that disrupted the mobile app, as well as some internal systems. The incident affected an unknown number of users. WestJet has said that specialised teams within the company are working with law enforcement agencies and Transport Canada in order to determine the extent of the incident and minimize its impact. The statement read: "We are accelerating efforts to maintain our safety and safeguard sensitive data, personal information and our guests for both employees and our guests." The carrier said that it was too early to speculate about further details or potential scope of incident. WestJet didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Cyber threats have increased in Canada's critical infrastructure. In April, the energy provider Emera announced that unauthorized access was gained to their business servers and network.
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King Charles honors air crash victims during military parade
The British King Charles, along with other senior royals, wore black armbands during the "Trooping the Colour", military parade held on Saturday to show respect for the victims who died in the Air India plane accident. On Thursday, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner headed for London, India, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad. At least 270 people were killed in the worst aviation accident in a decade. One of the 242 passengers on board and the crew survived. Others were killed when the plane hit a hostel for a medical school as it crashed. After the King inspected the parade marking his birthday, a minute's quiet was observed. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said that King Charles had requested the changes as a sign of respect to the victims, their families and the entire community affected by the tragedy.
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Minister: Lebanon will maintain its airspace open
A minister stated on Saturday that Lebanon would aim to keep the airspace open. Hours earlier, officials had said the airspace was scheduled to be closed in the evening due the Iran-Israel conflict. Conflict Fayez Rahamny, Lebanese minister of Public Works and Transport, said during a tour at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport that "the airport will remain open" unless there is unforeseen circumstances. Rasamny, the Lebanese National Carrier, Middle East Airlines, said that it would increase its flight schedule to compensate for delayed flights. The Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority had earlier told the state-run news agency NNA that the country's airspace would be temporarily reopened on Saturday morning at 10:00 am (0700 GMT), but would then be closed again between 10:30 pm and 6:00 am on Sunday. Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly in Cairo and Menna Alaa el Din from Beirut, with additional reporting by Laila Basam. Editing by Louise Heavens & Toby Chopra.
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Air India crash death toll reaches 270 as families await bodies
Families are increasingly upset by the delays in delivering badly burned bodies from the crash in Ahmedabad, a city in western India. After takeoff, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers bound for Britain's Gatwick Airport started losing height and then exploded in a fiery fireball when it hit the buildings below. This was the worst aviation accident in 10 years. Dhaval gameti, President of the Junior Doctors Association of B.J. Medical College, said reporters. The plane hit the hostel of the Medical College as it fell, killing many passengers and crew. The crisis has escalated cast a shadow Air India has struggled for years to rebuild its reputation and upgrade its fleet since the Tata Group acquired the airline in 2022 from the Indian Government. Tata chairman said that the group is trying to figure out what happened but, "we don't really know at this time." Air India and Indian government looked at The crash has many aspects Reports have raised a number of issues, including those related to the thrust generated by the engine, the flaps and the reason why the landing gear was left open when the plane landed and took off. Dozens Anxious family members Doctors were busy collecting dental samples to perform identification checks and DNA profiles on the dead. Families waiting to pick up the bodies of their loved ones who died in the accident. Rafiq Abd Hafiz Memon said that he had lost four family members in the incident and that he did not get any answers from the authorities. He was also "very harassed". "We lost our children. We don't understand anything." Please help us find out more about our children. "Tell us when they will release their bodies," Memon asked. A father complained about not being able to retrieve the body of Harshad, his son. He said he had been told by the authorities that DNA profiling would take 72 hours. "The authorities are doing their best to assist, but our patience is wearing thin," he said. The majority of the bodies were severely charred, and authorities used dental samples for identification checks. Jaishankar Pillai is a forensic dental expert who told reporters Friday that they have the dental records for 135 victims whose teeth were charred. These records can be matched with previous dental charts, radiographs, or other records.
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What do we know about the Air India crash investigation?
Air India's fatal plane crash, which killed at least 271 people, has sparked a wave speculation as to what caused the worst aviation disaster of the decade. However, authorities are narrowing their investigation areas. Experts say that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has an excellent safety record with no fatal accidents in its past. What is known so far about the crash? Visual Evidence Investigators are examining a 59-second CCTV clip which clearly shows the takeoff of the plane and its crash from the Sardar Vallabhbhai patel International Airport, located in Ahmedabad City, Gujarat State. The CCTV camera was on the left side of the runway, near a barbed-wire wall. The video shows the Tata Group's Air India aircraft take off, gain some altitude, fly flat for a few seconds, then start descending with its rear down. After take-off, the descent begins approximately 17 seconds later. When the plane starts to descend, there is no visible fire around the engine. The landing gear is visible throughout the video. The plane crashed into a massive fireball in just 33 seconds after wheels-up. Where did the plane fall? B.J. Medical College hostel Images taken shortly after the incident show that the wheels of the aircraft were embedded in the wall, and debris, belongings, and clothing of students lay on the floor. On the few tables left intact, there were still plates and tumblers with food on them. On Friday, a strong smell of jet fuel was in the air as authorities removed charred debris and trees using cranes. POSSIBLE CAUSES Air India officials, along with scores of Indian government agents and investigators, have been on the crash site ever since Thursday. According to a direct source, no initial findings have yet been made, but investigators continue to look at three main possible issues. Investigators are looking into any possible issues with engine thrust. This is the force that the engine produces to propel it through the air. Investigators also look at possible issues related to flaps. Investigation teams also included anti-terror squads. Officials also assess why the landing gear remained open so long after takeoff. The investigation is not focused on a possible bird strike. Sources added that officials were also investigating any possible fault of Air India including possible maintenance issues. Where is the black box? India's Aviation Ministry has confirmed that investigators and rescue workers have recovered the digital flight recorder, one of two black boxes in the plane, from the roof of the building where the jet crashed. The cockpit voice recording, the second black box, is crucial for the investigation. The Indian aviation regulator conducted additional maintenance on Air India's Boeing 787-8/9 equipped with GEnx engine, including a "one-time" check of the takeoff parameters prior to every flight departure from midnight June 15th. Also, the airline was asked to perform engine fuel and electronic engine control checks.
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Boeing resumes China delivery with 787-9 aircraft to Juneyao Airlines. Yicai reports
Chinese media outlet Yicai reports that Boeing delivered a new 787-9 to China's Juneyao Airlines Saturday as tensions in trade between Beijing and Washington have eased. This delivery comes just two days after a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers crashed into a fireball in western India shortly after takeoff. Boeing and Juneyao Airlines didn't immediately respond to requests for comments on the Yicai Report. In April, the U.S. Aerospace giant suspended all new aircraft deliveries to China as President Donald Trump escalated his tariff war between the two world's largest economies. Boeing announced at the end May that the deliveries will resume this month, after tariffs are temporarily reduced for 90 days. China and the U.S. ended two days of talks in London, Tuesday, to resolve important trade issues. Washington and Beijing reached an agreement on a framework for tariff rates. A new Boeing 737 MAX painted with the livery for Xiamen Airlines landed on Monday in China. This is another sign that Boeing has resumed deliveries to China. Boeing's backlog in China is about 10%, and it is a growing and important aviation market. Boeing said that customers in China were not going to take new planes because of the tariffs, and it was planning to resell dozens of aircraft. (Reporting from Ziyi Tang and Kane Wu, in Beijing; Editing by William Mallard).
What do we know about the Air India crash investigation?
Air India's fatal plane crash, which killed at least 271 people, has sparked a wave of speculation as to what caused the worst aviation disaster of the decade. However, authorities are narrowing their investigation areas.
Experts say that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has an excellent safety record with no fatal accidents in its past.
What is known so far about the crash?
Visual Evidence
Investigators are examining a 59-second CCTV clip which clearly shows the takeoff of the plane and its crash from the Sardar Vallabhbhai patel International Airport, located in Ahmedabad City, Gujarat State.
The CCTV camera was on the left side of the runway, near a barbed-wire wall.
The video shows the Tata Group's Air India aircraft take off, gain some altitude, fly flat for a few seconds, then start descending with its rear down.
After take-off, the descent begins approximately 17 seconds later. When the plane starts to descend, there is no visible fire around the engine.
The landing gear is visible throughout the video.
The plane crashed into a massive fireball in just 33 seconds after wheels-up.
Where did the plane fall?
According to the Indian Aviation Ministry, pilots sent a "mayday call" to air traffic control at 1:39pm local time on Thursday. The pilots didn't respond when officials attempted to contact them.
After reaching a height of 650 feet, the plane began to lose height. The plane crashed into B.J. Medical College hostel nearby.
Images taken shortly after the incident show that the wheels of the aircraft were embedded in the wall, and debris, belongings, and clothing of students lay on the floor.
On the few tables left intact, there were still plates and tumblers with food on them.
On Friday, a strong smell of jet fuel was in the air as authorities removed charred debris and trees using cranes.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Air India officials, along with scores of Indian government agents and investigators, have been on the crash site ever since Thursday. According to a direct source, no initial findings have yet been made, but investigators continue to look at three main possible issues.
Investigators are looking into any possible issues with engine thrust. This is the force that the engine produces to propel it through the air. Investigators also look at possible issues related to flaps. Investigation teams also included anti-terror squads.
Officials also assess why the landing gear remained open so long after takeoff. The investigation is not focused on a possible bird strike.
Sources added that officials were also investigating any possible fault of Air India including possible maintenance issues.
Where is the black box?
India's Aviation Ministry has confirmed that investigators and rescue workers have recovered the digital flight recorder, one of two black boxes in the plane, from the roof of the building where the jet crashed.
The cockpit voice recording, the second black box, is crucial for the investigation.
The Indian aviation regulator conducted additional maintenance on Air India's Boeing 787-8/9 equipped with GEnx engine, including a "one-time" check of the takeoff parameters prior to every flight departure from midnight June 15th.
Also, the airline was asked to perform engine fuel and electronic engine control checks.
(source: Reuters)