- LATEST
- WEBSTORY
- TRENDING
INDIA
Mangalore crash: Praful Patel offers to quit, PM says no
Patel, who met Singh after visiting the crash site in Mangalore, conveyed his 'deep sense of anguish' over the tragedy in which 158 people lost their lives.
Updated : May 23, 2010, 01:26 AM IST
TRENDING NOW
)
AR Rahman, Saira Banu's daughter Raheema opens up on parents' divorce being linked to Mohini Dey: 'Always remember...'
)
Riddhima Kapoor Sahni reveals Rishi Kapoor's last two wishes: 'He wanted to see Ranbir Kapoor getting...'
)
Sana Khan, former Bigg Boss contestant, actress announces 2nd pregnancy with Anas Saiyad: 'Only Allah has power to..'
)
'Good to be back': After breaking up with Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor reunites with his 'partner-in-crime after ages'
)
'Your dance lightens up...': Little girl's dance on 'Tere Bina na Guzara E' steals hearts online, WATCH viral video
)
Amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan tells Amitabh Bachchan: 'I hope people don't...'
)
This Pakistani Influencer's private video leaked online, days after Minahil Malik and Insha Rehman's clips
)
After breakup with Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor dedicates his new tattoo to this special person in his life
)
32-year-old superstar forcibly kissed 15-year-old co-star; left her traumatised, crying; later laughed about it saying..
)
Shillong Teer Results TODAY November 22, 2024 Live Updates: Check winning numbers here
)
Amid Aishwarya Rai-Abhishek Bachchan divorce rumours, Jaya Bachchan says 'not my daughter' in viral video
)
Telecom rules to change from January 1, Mukesh Ambani's Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL will be affected due to...
)
Gandii Baat, XXX actress Aabha Paul sets Instagram on fire with hot photos
)
Meet Mathira Khan, Pakistani influencer whose private video leaked after Minahil Malik, Imsha Rehman
)
Shweta Tiwari's wedding photos with Bigg Boss 13 contestant Vishal Aditya Singh go viral, here's the truth behind them
Accepting “moral responsibility” for the air disaster, Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel offered his resignation to the prime minister Manmohan Singh after returning to Delhi Saturday evening from the air crash site in Mangalore. The PM declined to accept it, according to sources.
“The prime minister told him, ‘Don’t be overcome by the situation, but face it. Some things are beyond our control,’” said a source familiar with the development.
Patel himself refused to confirm or deny his offer to resign. At a news conference outside the PM’s residence at 8pm, he told the media, “I have expressed my anguish to the PM. I conveyed to him that I bear the moral responsibility for the tragedy. I feel responsible that such a sad and tragic accident took place.”
For the first time in the day, the minister also acknowledged that the Mangalore runway is a difficult one to operate flights on. “Yes, it’s a difficult runway. But then pilots do fly to such airports, they are fully briefed. Civil aviation does not function on chance. This airport is fully certified by the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation).”
To a question on whether pilot error was a factor in the crash, Patel said this cannot be ascertained till the enquiry report has been submitted. “But all other factors were normal, and right up to four metres from touchdown, the landing was normal,” he said, unwilling to blame either the pilots, the airport or the aircraft.
Interestingly, Patel said that the survivors, who had a miraculous escape, were all in the middle seats - 7B, 17B, 23B and 28B. “The fire grew gradually, so some people were able to escape,” Patel said.
He said the co-pilot of the aircraft, SS Ahluwalia, had logged more than 3,300 hours of flying on aircraft of this kind. “He had a thorough knowledge of the local topography,” Patel said.
