Air India flight crash investigation begins; US, UK send teams
India launched a formal investigation into the crash of London-bound Air India flight 171 at Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, with international teams rushing to assist as the incident involved an American plane and more than 50 UK nationals as victims.
Of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's two black boxes, the rear unit has been located and secured, with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials set to collect it for analysis, officials at the spot told HT on the condition of anonymity. The front black box was yet to be recovered at the time of going to print.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will lead the investigation into the crash, which involved 242 people including 12 crew members. The probe follows international protocols established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Also Read: What led to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad? Experts weigh in
Civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu, who rushed to Ahmedabad from Vijayawada after the incident, said the government was constituting a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail.
'Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in line with international protocols,' the minister posted on X. 'The committee will work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future.'
Also Read: Air India flight began sudden descent at -475 ft/min before crashing in Ahmedabad: What Flightradar data reveals
International assistance too poured in with both American and British investigation teams being deployed to support the Indian-led probe.
The US National Transportation Safety Board announced it would send investigators to assist their Indian counterparts, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that a UK investigation team had been dispatched.
'The investigation is going on, we have dispatched an investigation team; that's been deployed,' Starmer said. 'The foreign secretary (David Lammy) is leading on this, and we will obviously update as soon as we can. But we are working with the Indian authorities to establish the facts.'
Also Read: Horrifying moment Air India plane went down 5 minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport
The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch has formally offered assistance to India's AAIB and will have 'expert status' in the investigation because UK citizens were on board the aircraft.
Both DGCA and AAIB representatives are already at the scene, while Boeing officials are expected to arrive tomorrow to examine the wreckage of the 787-8 Dreamliner.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company stood ready to support the investigation. 'Boeing will defer to India's AAIB to provide information about Air India flight 171, in adherence with United Nations International Civil Aviation Organisation protocol,' the aircraft manufacturer stated.
Representatives from the British High Commission in New Delhi visited the crash site but declined to comment on the incident.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
25 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Jaishankar, Iranian counterpart Araghchi discuss latest situation
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held telephonic conversation with Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday and spoke about the latest situation. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Spoke to Iranian FM @araghchi this evening on the latest situation." The talks between the two leaders come in the wake of Operation Rising Lion, launched by Israel against Iran. Jaishankar received a phone call from Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar regarding ongoing developments. "Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues. India enjoys close and friendly relations with both the countries and stands ready to extend all possible support," the statement said. "Our Missions in both countries are in contact with the Indian community. All Indian nationals in the region are advised to exercise caution, stay safe and follow local security advisories," it added. Earlier, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) said Israel launched a "precise, preemptive strike" in Iran. The spokesperson BG Effie Defrin said the strikes aimed at damaging Iran's nuclear program and in response to the Iranian regime's ongoing aggression against Israel. "For years, the Iranian regime has called for the destruction of the State of Israel, planning and advancing concrete military plans to do so. Over the past few months, intelligence has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. This morning, the IDF began pre-emptive and precise strikes targeting the Iranian nuclear program in order to prevent the Iranian regime's ability to build a nuclear bomb in the immediate timeframe," he said. He said the airstrikes were aimed at protecting Israel's right to exist and for their future. "We have no choice. We are operating against an imminent and existential threat. We cannot allow the Iranian regime to obtain a nuclear weapon that would be a danger to Israel and the entire world. This operation is for our right to exist here, for our future and for our children's future. The State of Israel has the right and the obligation to operate in order to protect its people and will continue to do so," he said. Netanyahu had announced the launch of a large-scale military campaign, Operation Rising Lion, aimed at dismantling what he described as an existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Netanyahu said Israel had struck multiple high-value Iranian targets in a decisive first strike. "Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," he said, adding that the mission would continue "for as many days as it takes to remove this threat."The Israeli leader accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons programme in defiance of global warnings, pointing to enriched uranium stockpiles capable of producing multiple nuclear bombs." Netanyahu likened the current moment to the prelude to World War II, referencing the Holocaust and past global inaction in the face of rising threats. "Eighty years ago, the Jewish people were the victims of a holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime. Today, the Jewish state refuses to be a victim of a nuclear holocaust perpetrated by the Iranian regime," he said. Reaffirming Israel's red lines, Netanyahu declared: "Now, as Prime Minister, I've made it clear time and again. Israel will never allow those who call for our annihilation to develop the means to achieve that goal. Tonight, Israel backs those words with action.
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Canada-based dentist killed in crash was returning after attending family function
Vadodara: Dr Nirali Patel, a Canadian citizen and dentist originally from Ahmedabad, was among the victims of the Air India flight crash on Thursday. Nirali, who practised dentistry in Ontario along with her husband, Dr Devesh Shukla of Lunawada, was the only Canadian national on board. The couple had settled in Ontario and were raising their son there. Nirali had travelled to India alone to attend a social function, while Devesh and their child remained in Canada. She was returning home when tragedy struck. Devesh, son of former Lunawada municipality president Tarlika Shukla, is expected to arrive in India soon along with their son for the final rites. The Shukla family, known for their longstanding association with the BJP, is in deep shock. Several close relatives of the couple are also based abroad. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Hindu
35 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Watch: Ahmedabad plane black box recovered, PM Modi visits crash site, Israel strikes Iran & more
Here are the top headlines of the day. Black box found at site of India plane crash that killed 265 The black box of the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport was recovered, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said. Its analysis will provide vital clues about what lead to the disaster. In a post on X, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that the recovery 'marks an important step forward in the investigation'. The Ahmedabad–London Air India flight, carrying 242 people, crashed into the BJ Medical College complex just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. 265 people lost their lives in the incident, making this one of India's biggest aviation disasters. The bodies of six victims were handed over to their families after identification today. In case of the other bodies, which are partially or fully charred, it will take around 72 hours to complete the exercise of matching their DNA samples, police said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits plane crash site Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site of the deadly plane crash and met the injured at the civil hospital in Ahmedabad. He arrived at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in the morning and drove straight to the plane crash site. He spent around 20 minutes inspecting the site. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi accompanied the prime minister. He spoke to Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the lone plane survivor of the tragedy, at the city civil hospital, and also met other persons injured in the accident. He visited the C7 ward of the hospital, where 25 injured people are undergoing treatment, and interacted with the doctors. He met state and civil aviation officers and was briefed on the tragedy. The prime minister also met the former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was onboard the flight. India abstains on Gaza ceasefire resolution in UNGA, just six months after voting for a similar resolution India abstained from a UNGA resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for the fourth time in three years. India had voted in favour of a UNGA resolution for ceasefire in December 2024, making this a significant departure from India's position just six months ago. According to a leaked demarch reported by U.S. media, the Trump administration has 'warned' partner countries not to join the conference or to make pledges for the recognition of Palestine. India recognised Palestine in 1988, and is among 147 of 193 UNGA countries that have already recognised the Palestinian state. The resolution entitled 'Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations'was introduced by Spain at the UNGA on Thursday evening. 149 of 180 countries voted for the resolution . The United States, Israel and ten other countries voted against the resolution. India was one of 19 abstentions on the vote. India was the only country in South Asia, BRICS or the SCO groupings to abstain. Explaining the vote, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Paravathaneni Harish said that India was 'deeply concerned' about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but that it decided to abstain 'in continuation' of previous votes in December 2022 criticising Israel for Human Rights violations and in December 2024 that referred the Israeli bombardment of Gaza to the International Court of Justice. India had also abstained in a vote calling for a ceasefire in October 2023 and two other resolutions pertaining to human rights investigations in 2023-2024. Iran says Israel attack 'declaration of war', Trump asks Iran to take the deal After Israel launched an array of strikes against dozens of Iranian targets on Friday, Iran said that Israel's actions are a declaration of war. Israel hit nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories in Iran and targeted military commanders during the start of an operation to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear weapon. Israel launched an attack on Iran even as the US and Iran were preparing to hold a sixth round of talks on Sunday on Tehran's uranium enrichment programme. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that the strikes would 'continue as many days as it takes', while the military said intelligence showed Iran was approaching the 'point of no return' on its nuclear programme. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a 'bitter and painful' fate over the attacks, and President Masoud Pezeshkian said 'Iran will make the enemy regret its foolish act'. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack as a 'declaration of war'. Trump urged Iran to 'make a deal', warning that there will be more 'death and destruction' after Israel launched deadly strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. He had given Tehran a 60-day ultimatum, which expired on Thursday, to make a deal. He encouraged Tehran to take advantage of a 'second chance.'
