New Delhi, June 14 (IANS): In the aftermath of the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu will chair a high-level meeting on air safety at the ministry office on Saturday. The meeting, scheduled for 10:30 a.m., will be attended by the Civil Aviation Secretary, the Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), officials from the Airports Authority of India, and other senior officials from related departments.
The Air India Dreamliner Boeing 787-8 aircraft, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed on June 12 shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of at least 241 people. Only one individual is reported to have survived the crash. The aircraft lost altitude minutes after departure and spiralled into a medical college hostel in a densely populated residential area, bursting into flames due to its heavy fuel load for the long-haul flight. Many casualties and injuries are also feared on the ground.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the formation of a high-level multi-disciplinary committee to investigate the crash. The committee’s mandate includes reviewing the circumstances leading to the accident, evaluating current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and assessing aviation safety guidelines.
In an official statement, the ministry clarified that the newly constituted committee is not a substitute for ongoing investigations by relevant organisations. Instead, it is tasked with formulating comprehensive frameworks and SOPs to prevent and manage similar aviation incidents in the future. “The Committee will not be a substitute to other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation posted on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and later met with the lone survivor and others receiving treatment at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. A team of 70 to 80 doctors is currently conducting post-mortem examinations to identify the deceased.
A formal investigation is underway, with forensic experts examining the wreckage and aviation authorities launching a full-scale probe to determine the exact cause of the crash.
