Air India crash: AAIB to release preliminary report this week; global experts aiding probe
in Ahmedabad, which killed at least 260 people on 12 June. Top AAIB officials shared this update during a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture on Wednesday.
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Officials told the panel that the aircraft's black box and voice recorder were recovered and were being analysed. Boeing and other international experts are assisting with the ongoing investigation, but no final report has been prepared yet.
The AAIB launched its probe a day after the crash and formed a multi-disciplinary team, headed by Director General GVG Yugandhar, in line with global aviation standards. This is the first time such a major crash investigation is being conducted domestically at this scale.
The Standing Committee meeting, chaired by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, ran from 10 AM to 6 PM and included discussions with airline heads and civil aviation officials. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson also attended.
Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 en route to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. Among the 260 casualties were 241 people on board. One passenger survived.
Members of Parliament from across parties raised questions on safety standards, noting concerns about traffic overload on Air Traffic Controllers, haphazard urban growth near airports, and the high number of vacancies in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The DGCA was urged to quickly fill the posts, nearly half of which are vacant.
The Civil Aviation Secretary assured the committee that safety remains the government's top priority. Meanwhile, a separate high-level committee led by the Union Home Secretary is also reviewing the crash and expected to recommend stronger aviation safety guidelines.
According to ICAO norms, a preliminary report must be submitted within 30 days of the incident. AAIB has said it will meet that deadline.
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