Investigation Underway Following Air India Plane Crash in Ahmedabad

Ongoing Investigation into Air India Crash

On Saturday, K Ram Mohan Naidu, the Union Civil Aviation Minister, announced that authorities are currently analyzing data retrieved from the black box of the Air India aircraft that tragically crashed on Thursday, resulting in over 270 fatalities.

During his first press briefing post-incident, Naidu emphasized that the government will explore all potential causes of the crash. He also mentioned that a thorough inspection of all Boeing 787 flights operating in India will be initiated.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was traveling from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick airport, went down just 33 seconds after takeoff.

This incident is being regarded as one of the most catastrophic aviation disasters globally in the past decade.

There were 242 individuals on board the flight, with one passenger surviving despite sustaining impact injuries.

According to reports, 274 bodies have been sent for postmortem, including 33 individuals who lost their lives on the ground when the aircraft collided with a hostel building of the BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad.

Additional Updates:

• In response to the crash, eight Boeing 787 aircraft have been inspected following a directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, as stated by Naidu during the press conference.


• Air India later confirmed that it has completed safety checks on nine out of its 33 Boeing 787 aircraft, with inspections still ongoing for the remaining planes. The airline cautioned that this could result in longer turnaround times and possible delays on certain long-haul routes, particularly those affected by airport curfews.


• The Tata Group announced that families of the 33 individuals who perished on the ground will receive a compensation of Rs 1 crore. Additionally, all medical expenses for the injured will be fully covered, as reported by a local media outlet. An official mentioned that no decisions have been made regarding job placements for the victims' next of kin.


• Dr. Rajnesh Patel, head of surgery at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, reported that DNA samples from 11 victims have been matched, with one body already returned to its family. On Friday, six bodies were also handed over to families after identification.


• Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge visited the crash site on Saturday and met with injured individuals receiving treatment in hospitals. He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, including medical students who lost their lives.