The ill-fated Air India Boeing may have had its emergency power systems activated when it crashed and killed more than 270 people last week — according to a new report that comes as the bruised-and-battered sole survivor helped carry his brother’s coffin after his sibling died in the tragedy.
Preliminary findings revealed the London-bound 787 Dreamliner’s emergency power generator was likely running when it plunged in Ahmedabad last Thursday — casting new doubt on whether the plane’s engines were functional during takeoff, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people close to the probe.
The doomed aircraft went down only 30 seconds after taking off for London Gatwick Airport.
Firefighters extinguish a fire at the site of an Air India plane crash. REUTERSThe emergency power source, called the ram air turbine, automatically generates electricity and hydraulic pressure to keep critical flight systems running when the engines fail or hydraulic pressure drops, according to the report.
Pilots can also manually deploy the backup generator, if needed.
“In commercial aviation, a dual engine failure is extremely rare,” Anthony Brickhouse, a US-based aerospace safety consultant, told the outlet.
Debris from the Air India plane that crashed into a residential building. CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FORCE (CISF)/AFP via Getty Images“Our engines today are more efficient and more reliable than ever.”
Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
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The 12-year-old plane was carrying 242 passengers and crew when it reached an altitude of 650 feet before crashing into a residential building, killing 30 people on the ground in the Indian city.
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the sole survivor. NEWS18 GUJARATIOnly one passenger miraculously survived the horrifying ordeal — the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was sitting in seat 11A when he escaped through the plane’s emergency door and calmly limped his way to safety amid the devastating wreckage.
Read more on the Air India plane crash
- Air India CEO hits back after prelim report suggests deadly crash was caused by pilot error
- Doomed Air India pilot’s medical records probed amid reports of depression, other mental health struggles
- Air India pilots may have made fatal error before crash that killed more than 270 people, probe reveals
- Air India releases new details about two engines on doomed London flight
His brother, Ajaykumar, 35, was seated in 11J when the plane went down.
Injured Air India crash survivor carrying his brother’s coffin at a funeral. ViralPressRamesh — bandaged, limping, and visibility distraught — joined other pallbearers Wednesday to carry his late sibling’s coffin through the streets during a funeral service in Gujarat in western India.
The siblings were returning to the UK after spending the past year visiting relatives in India.
The married father said that the plane seemed to stall midair for a few seconds after takeoff, with green and white lights coming on as the aircraft struggled to gain height and quickly came crashing down.









