Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said a high-level committee set up to investigate the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which has claimed 270 lives so far, will hold its first meeting on Monday. The panel will be chaired by the Union home secretary and will submit its report within three months.
“We have set a time limit of three months for them (the high-level panel) to sit down, talk to various stakeholders, and consult with any other experts necessary for their investigation,” Naidu said.
The committee will include the secretary or joint secretary of the ministry of home affairs, the secretary of civil aviation, representatives from Gujarat’s home department and state disaster response authority, the Ahmedabad police commissioner, the director general of inspection and safety at the Indian Air Force, the directors general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, a special director from the Intelligence Bureau, and the director of the Directorate of Forensic Science Services. The committee might also bring in additional members as needed, including aviation experts, legal advisers, and accident investigators.
Stating that India maintains very strict aviation safety standards, the minister said the government has ordered surveillance of all Boeing 787 aircraft models post the crash and everything will be done to further improve safety. “Any theory going around will be analysed,” he said.
“There are 34 aircraft from this series in our Indian fleet today. I believe that some have already been inspected, and all of them will be thoroughly checked with immediate urgency,” Naidu said.
Air India had 34 B787 in its fleet before the crash. IndiGo has a B787-9 aircraft but with a foreign registration.
Air India on Saturday said it has conducted one-time safety checks on nine of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and is on track to complete checks on the remaining 24. “Air India is in the process of completing the one-time safety checks directed by the Indian aviation regulator, DGCA.
These checks are being carried out on the Boeing 787 fleet as they return to India, before being cleared for their next operations,” said an Air India spokesperson. “Some of these checks could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes especially those to airports with operating curfews. Customers will be duly notified about any delays,” the airline said in a post on X.
Naidu shared that the aircraft’s black box had been recovered from the crash site, saying the the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will decode its contents. The black box captures vital flight data and cockpit audio, playing a key role in helping investigators determine the cause of a crash. It is specifically designed to endure extreme conditions, including high impact and intense fires.
In Ahmedabad, the process of identification of victims by matching DNA samples is underway, and the bodies will be handed over to their relatives once the process is complete, said a doctor at BJ Medical College.
Air India on Saturday also said it will provide an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased and survivors of the Ahmedabad plane crash. This interim payment is in addition to the Rs 1 crore compensation already announced by the parent company, Tata Sons, Air India said in a statement. “As part of our continued efforts, Air India will be providing an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh or approximately 21,000 GBP each to the families of the deceased and to the survivor, to help address immediate financial needs,” Air India said.