NEW DELHI: Two days after Air India flight AIC 171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board, the civil aviation ministry has launched a sweeping investigation led by the Union home secretary. Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed that DNA testing is underway to identify victims, as the government rushes to support grieving families and tighten safety checks across the country’s Boeing 787 fleet.“The last two days have been very difficult. The accident near Ahmedabad airport has shaken the entire nation,” Kinjarapu said in an emotional address. “It is heart-wrenching to see the stories of those who lost their lives. My deepest condolences to the families. We are doing everything in our capacity to assist them.”
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Crash timeline and technical details
- Flight path & emergency: Flight AIC 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, departed Ahmedabad for London Gatwick at 1:39 pm on June 12. Moments after takeoff, it climbed to about 650 feet before rapidly descending.
- Final transmission: The pilot, Capt Sumit Sabharwal, issued a “May Day” distress call just seconds into the flight. ATC Ahmedabad lost contact almost immediately.
- Crash site: The plane crashed at 1:40 pm in Medhaninagar, just 2 km from the runway. 241 people out of 242 – including 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and 2 pilots – were killed.
Black box and investigation
- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), formed to handle such incidents, recovered the aircraft’s black box at 5 pm on June 13.
- The data, once decoded, is expected to provide crucial insights into what happened in the final moments before the crash.
- “We are waiting for the AAIB’s full technical report. It will tell us what really went wrong,” the minister said.
Safety review and Boeing 787 scrutiny
- India currently operates 34 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
- Following the crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered extended surveillance and technical inspections of all aircraft in the fleet.
- Eight of the Dreamliners have been inspected so far. The rest will be examined with “immediate urgency.”
- “We maintain strict safety standards, but this incident showed there’s a need for deeper scrutiny,” the minister said.
DNA testing and victim identification
- The government has launched a coordinated effort with Gujarat authorities to identify remains through DNA testing.
- “Once identification is confirmed, the bodies are being handed over to the respective families. We hope the process finishes soon, but protocols must be followed,” the minister said.
- Air India has been directed to assist families with travel, documentation, and grief support.
- “We are ensuring there is no lapse in process or protocol,” the minister added.
Airport operations and response
- Ahmedabad airport’s runway was closed at 2:30 pm after the crash and reopened for limited flights by 5 pm.
- The minister praised the swift response of emergency and rescue teams on the ground, noting that all concerned departments were working in coordination.
High-level committee constituted for parallel probeA second investigation panel has been set up to go beyond technical causes and examine all theories and safety aspects.
- Chaired by the Union Home Secretary, the panel includes:
- Secretary, ministry of civil aviation
- Additional secretary, ministry of home affairs
- Representative from the Gujarat government
- State disaster response authority official
- Ahmedabad police commissioner
- DG, inspection & safety, Indian Air Force
- DG, BCAS (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security)
- DG, DGCA
- Special director, Intelligence Bureau
- Director, Directorate of Forensic Sciences Services
The committee has been given a three-month deadline to submit a comprehensive report, including consultation with experts and stakeholders.On-ground response and minister’s statement
- Civil aviation minister visited the crash site personally, along with Gujarat officials.
- Emergency responders were already deployed and engaged in rescue and debris removal when he arrived.
- “The attitude of the Gujarat government, the central government, and our ministry was unified, to act swiftly and decisively,” the minister said.
Aircraft history and operational notes
- The aircraft had just completed a Paris-Delhi-Ahmedabad leg prior to the crash.
- No issues were reported during the earlier sectors.
- The Dreamliner involved had no reported safety flags before departure.
“This is not just a tragedy for the families; it is a moment of reckoning for the entire aviation ecosystem,” the minister said.
