Pilot's son fights to clear his father's name over Mangalore Air India crash

[email protected] (The National)
January 4, 2012

pilotson
Dubai, January 4: The son of the Serbian pilot blamed for an Air India crash in Mangalore that killed 158 people has called for the accident investigation to be reopened, and vows to clear his father's name.

Alexander Glusica, 26, said that investigators, while preparing the report that found his father negligent, had not considered what he claims are inadequate safety measures at Mangalore Airport. He has asked Air India to look into the airport's safety and other possible causes of the crash.

"I find it quite necessary to resolve the whole situation and to present our father to the public in the way that he really was, and not in the way he was described in the official report and in the media," said Mr Glusica, of Belgrade, who is also a pilot.

"The only aim of the report was, from the beginning of the investigation, to put the blame on my father. The crucial point in the report is how unsafe the Mangalore Airport is."

The ill-fated Air India Express flight had been travelling from Dubai to Mangalore when it overshot the runway and crashed at Mangalore Airport on May 22, 2010. Only eight people survived.

A court of inquiry appointed by the Indian government found Capt Zlatko Glusica responsible for the crash, saying that he had been sleeping for most of the flight and woke up disoriented when the aircraft was about to land.

The report said the captain, who died in the crash, had been sleeping in his seat for about an hour and 40 minutes during the flight, and that sleep inertia might have clouded his judgement.

However, his son pointed out that the aircraft caught fire after crashing into the instrument landing system at the end of the runway. He believes positioning the system in such a place was partly to blame for the disaster.

"The location of the non-frangible structure at this point is forbidden by every international aviation regulation," Mr Glusica said. "The access roads to the crash site are also in very bad condition. That is why the fire rescue operators failed to reach and contain the fire in a reasonable time."

Mr Glusica said that he and some colleagues of his late father had prepared a list of arguments against the court of inquiry report.

"These are only a few remarks among those from the report which give a clue about how hazardous the Mangalore runway is. Having that in mind, it is more than necessary to reopen the investigation, all in the aim of preventing another disaster from happening once more," he said. "We will forward a letter to Air India asking for an explanation as to why our father is being held responsible for the crash even though there were a lot of other issues that caused the accident."

Mr Glusica said he would take the matter to court.

"Our plan is to file a lawsuit against them in order to clear our father's name that they so intentionally wanted to abuse."

However, an Air India spokesman based in New Delhi said the court of inquiry's findings could not be disputed.

"He has been making these claims for a long time, and as an airline we have no comment except that the court of inquiry is a legal committee set up by the government and has done detailed work on the accident," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said Air India had contacted the family regarding the crash, despite Mr Glusica's denial that it had ever done so.

Mr Glusica said his father had been an employee of Air India since 2008, and that he had three children - himself and his two sisters.

One of the sisters, Merima, wrote a poem in honour of their father. She wrote:

"What can we do when winter comes with the beautiful snowflakes? Lonely, we will walk down the street, looking into your windows …

"The lights will be off. We know there's no one there since a long time ago. Only darkness … Tears in my eyes, that's all that will remain … May your wings be light, my angel."

"We miss our father so much," Mr Glusica said. "He was such a wonderful and caring human being. We love him."


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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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