Urgent checks on AI's 787 fleet: Aviation minister
NEW DELHI: Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet is undergoing urgent safety checks following the June 12 crash, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said Saturday, while promising "all necessary steps" to strengthen aviation safety.
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Air India posted on X that checks directed by DGCA are underway across its 787s. "Checks have been completed on nine aircraft. We are on track to complete the remaining 24 within the regulator's timeline," the airline said.
AI warned of possible delays on long-haul routes due to extended turnaround times. "Customers will be duly notified about any delays. They are advised to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport," the airline said.
Addressing his first presser since the tragedy, Naidu said Modi govt had set up a high-level committee led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan to examine the crash and recommend long-term aviation safety reforms. The committee was announced after Modi visited the crash site Friday. Naidu said the panel will not interfere with ongoing investigations but will focus on systemic reforms to prevent future disasters.
Airports Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting the primary probe. The committee will work in parallel, identifying the root cause and contributing factors, including mechanical failure, human error, and regulatory lapses. The panel will also draft updated SOPs, benchmarked to international practices. Its report is due by Sept 13.
"The black box has been recovered," Naidu said, adding that decoding the data will clarify what went wrong.
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Union aviation secretary Samir Sinha said the same aircraft had arrived uneventfully from Paris to Ahmedabad. "On Ahmedabad-London flight, pilot gave a Mayday call to ATC just after take-off. ATC responded, but there was no reply from the cockpit. It crashed 2km from airport," he added.
Meanwhile, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson announced, "Air India will be making an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh to each of the families of the deceased and also to the survivor. This is in addition to Rs 1 crore already committed by Tata Sons."
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