Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday stated that a high-level committee has been formed by the government to investigate the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that resulted in the loss of 241 lives. He said the committee will submit its report on the incident in three months.
"We have put a time limit of three months for them (high-level committee) to talk to various stakeholders involved and discuss with any other important expert that is necessary as per their investigation," Naidu said at a briefing in Delhi on Saturday, June 14.
The high-level committee will be chaired by the Union Home Secretary and will include officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Indian Air Force, the Gujarat Home Department, the State Disaster Response Authority, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, among others. Aviation experts, accident investigators, and legal advisors may also be brought in, as deemed necessary.
As part of its mandate, the committee will assess the emergency response by all stakeholders, including rescue operations and inter-agency coordination at both the central and state levels. It will also examine existing guidelines, study past air crashes in India, and recommend policy changes, operational improvements, and training enhancements.
The panel will develop a comprehensive SOP that incorporates international best practices, outlining clear roles for all relevant central and state government agencies in managing and responding to air crash incidents.
The government confirmed that the committee will conduct site inspections and interviews with crew members, air traffic controllers, and other personnel. In case of foreign nationals or aircraft manufacturers being involved, the committee will coordinate with international agencies as well.
The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which was bound for London Gatwick with 242 passengers onboard, crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport. Only one person, named Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, managed to survive.
Naidu informed that the committee to probe the tragic incident is due to meet on Monday, June 16.
He added that the government has planned to extend surveillance of the Boeing aircraft models, which have come under fire after the deadly crash.
"We have very strict safety standards in the country...When the incident happened, we also felt that there is a need to do an extended surveillance into the Boeing 787 Series," Naidu said, adding, "DGCA has also given an order to do the extended surveillance for the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian aircraft fleet today. I believe that 8 have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done."
Naidu also informed about the recovery of the black box and said that its decoding will help the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) get a better idea about the incident.
"One important update from the technical investigation which is happening through the AAIB is the recovery of the black box yesterday around 5pm from the site, the AAIB team believes that this decoding of the black box is going to give a, in depth insight into what would have actually happened during the process of the crash or moments before the crash itself. We are also eagerly waiting for what the results or the report is going to be once the AAIB goes through its full investigation," he said.
The minister added that he understands the grief the families of the deceased are facing as his father also passed away in a car accident.
"I also personally lost my father in a road accident.So to a certain extent, I can understand the pain and anguish that the family members are feeling," Naidu said.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
