Post AI-171 Crash, Aviation Minister To Lead Critical Air Safety Meeting

Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu will preside over a critical meeting on air safety at the ministry headquarters on Saturday, prompted by the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad.

The flight, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, went down shortly after take-off on 12 June.

The crash resulted in the deaths of at least 241 individuals, with only one reported survivor.

The Civil Aviation Secretary, the Director General of the DGCA, representatives from the Airports Authority of India, and other senior officials from associated bodies will attend the meeting, scheduled for 10:30 AM.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also constituted a high-level multi-disciplinary panel to investigate the underlying causes of the disaster involving the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

According to ministry sources, the panel will examine the events leading up to the accident and conduct a thorough review of existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety protocols in the civil aviation sector.

The panel’s primary task will be to propose a robust framework aimed at averting and managing similar aviation emergencies in the future.

Taking to X, the Ministry of Civil Aviation posted, “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 crash took place just moments after departure from Ahmedabad airport, when the aircraft lost altitude and plummeted into a hostel attached to a medical college situated in a heavily populated area.

The aircraft, heavily fuelled for the long-haul flight, erupted in flames on impact, causing significant casualties and injuries on the ground.

PM Narendra Modi visits crash site

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash location on Friday and spoke with injured survivors receiving care at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

A medical team of 70 to 80 specialists is currently conducting post-mortem procedures to identify the crash victims.

Meanwhile, authorities have launched a formal inquiry to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Forensic teams are analysing debris from the wreckage as aviation authorities proceed with an exhaustive investigation into the sequence of events that led to the catastrophe.

Also Read: ‘I Still Don’t Know How I Made It Out Alive’: Survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh Recounts Horror Of Air India Crash