a day ago
'Darkest day in Tata group's history': What N Chandrasekharan told employees on Air India plane crash
Air India plane crash: The day after the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed over 240 lives, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of the Tata Group, described 12 June as one of the "darkest days in the Tata Group's history" in an internal letter to employees.
Chandrashekharan's message conveyed deep sorrow and solidarity with the Air India lane crash victims' families, reflecting the profound impact of the disaster on the entire organisation.
A London bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college in Ahemedabad, merely seconds after take-off, resulting in one of the deadliest aviation disasters, and the first fatal accident of this aircraft model. The aviation tragedy killed everuyone on board, except one person seated on 11A.
The tragic incident also killed 5 MBBS doctors, one PG resident doctor, and the wife of a senior doctor at the medical college.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the Air India plane crash, with experts considering factors such as engine failure or technical issues during take-off.
This is a very difficult moment. What occurred yesterday was inexplicable, and we are in shock and mourning. To lose a single person we know is a tragedy, but for so many deaths to occur at once is incomprehensible. This is one of the darkest days in the Tata Group's history. Words are no consolation right now, but my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the people who died and were injured in the crash. We are here for them.
I want to say that, like you, we want to understand what happened. We don't know right now, but we will. You know that in the past 24 hours, investigative teams from India, UK, and the US have arrived in Ahmedabad to investigate the crash. They have our full cooperation, and we will be completely transparent about the findings. We owe it to the families and loved ones, to our pilots and crew, and to you. The Tata Group takes its responsibility to society seriously, and that includes being open about what occurred yesterday.
Right now, our very human instinct is to look for explanations that make sense of the calamity. There is plenty of speculation all around us. Some of it may be right, some of it may be wrong. I want to urge patience. We witnessed an enormous loss of life yesterday.
Why this routine flight turned into a calamity is something trained investigators will help us understand when their work is complete. Once we have verified facts, we will be transparent in our communication about how this tragedy took place.
As a Group trusted by so many, when we took over Air India, ensuring the safety of its passengers was our first and foremost priority. There was no compromising on it.
None of this matters to the people who suffered devastating losses yesterday. At this time, we can only assure them of our full support. We will pull together as a Group and find ways to help them.
We built this Group on trust and care. It is a difficult moment, but we will not retreat from our responsibilities, from doing what is right. We will carry this loss. We will not forget.
In a letter to Air India on Friday, the DGCA outlined a series of mandatory checks for the airline's entire Boeing 787-8/9 fleet, effective from 15 June 2025. The one-time pre-departure inspections include fuel parameter monitoring and related system checks, cabin air compressor and associated systems inspection, electronic engine control-system tests, operational tests of engine fuel-driven actuators, oil system checks, serviceability checks of the hydraulic system, and a review of take-off parameters, the aviation watchdog said.
