A two-minute silence, wreaths and tears marked the first anniversary of the crash of Air India Express Flight IX 812.
Two minutes’ silence was observed across the globe wherever there is an Air India network station, as a mark of respect to people who lost their lives in the horrific air crash that happened exactly one year ago on 22 May.
Reports pouring into the office of the general manager, quality management, of Air India, Harpreet Singh, have confirmed that Air India officials in all time zones across four continents maintained two minutes’ silence.
“I have received messages from most of our network stations from US, Europe, Asia, and Australia talking about the silent prayer offered. Those who live in different time zones also coordinated their prayer to coincide with 11 am India time,” said Harpreet.
In the meantime, at Karambaru valley in Kenjar village where the crash took place, villagers, airport officials, Air India officials, relatives of passengers who died and all the survivors got together and lit candles on a decorated platform built for the occasion in the backdrop of the crash site.
The prayers were led by Mangalore station manager of Air India Chellam Prakash and airport director MR Vasudeva at 6.20 am, the time when the plane had burst into a ball of fire after plunging 300 feet into the valley.
Air India chief operating officer S Chandrakumar said Maravoor grama panchayat has been asked to build a community hall with a reading room to commemorate all the passengers who died in the crash. The Air India will fund the construction up to 90%, he added.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, state assembly deputy speaker, Yogish Bhat, additional deputy commissioner, Prabhakar Sharma, attended the ceremony.
Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who was here to kick off the Janandolana, placed a wreath at the far end of the airport. He announced that the state government has released `23 crore for extending the runway at Bajpe airport.
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