The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is set to make public its preliminary report this week on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which tragically killed at least 260 people on June 12. Top Bureau officials conveyed this to a Parliamentary panel on Wednesday, as reported by news agency PTI.
Sources indicated that no final report has been completed yet, with investigations continuing into one of India`s worst air disasters. AAIB officials informed the panel that the aircraft`s black box and voice recorder were found intact, and data analysis is currently underway. They also confirmed that assistance from international entities, including aircraft manufacturer Boeing, has been sought to conduct thorough and detailed investigations.
According to PTI, the AAIB launched its investigation a day after the crash, forming a multi-disciplinary team led by its Director General GVG Yugandhar, in adherence to global standards. Sources noted this is the first time such a significant investigation is being conducted in India.
The AAIB chief addressed queries from several Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding the deadly crash during a day-long meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, which oversees the Civil Aviation sector.
The panel meeting, chaired by JD-U MP Sanjay Jha, ran from 10 AM to approximately 6 PM, featuring presentations on air safety from the chiefs of all domestic airlines.
The Committee`s members include figures from various parties, such as former Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Congress` Kumari Selja, Neeraj Dangi, and Imran Pratapgarhi, and BJP`s Surendra Singh Nagar and Tapir Gao, among others, PTI reported.
Air India`s Boeing 787-8 (flight AI 171 en-route to London Gatwick) crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12. The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 260 people, including 241 onboard passengers, though one passenger miraculously survived. While there has been no official comment on the preliminary report`s timeline, top AAIB sources confirmed it would be finalised this week. Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) norms, the AAIB can submit a preliminary report within 30 days of an accident.
During the meeting, members from across party lines scrutinised official agencies and private airlines regarding their adherence to safety standards – an issue brought sharply into focus by the Ahmedabad crash.
Sources revealed that the meeting highlighted an over eight per cent drop in domestic airline traffic and less than one per cent in international traffic in India post-Ahmedabad. Some members also raised concerns about “haphazard” growth around airports, including dense populations in urbanised areas surrounding several airports.
Further concerns were voiced regarding the high workload of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) in India, reportedly handling traffic far above international norms, potentially leading to human errors and major disasters. Members also expressed apprehension over a large number of vacancies within the aviation regulator, DGCA, with almost half the posts reportedly vacant.
The DGCA was instructed to fill these positions promptly. Several official agencies, including the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), delivered presentations to the committee.
The Civil Aviation Secretary concluded the day`s discussions by assuring members that aviation safety remains the government`s paramount concern. Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson was among the airline representatives attending the meeting, alongside other stakeholders. Many officials present had also attended another parliamentary committee meeting the previous day.
Separately, the DGCA had stated on Tuesday it would implement a mechanism to curb the surge in air ticket prices, an issue dominating proceedings at the Public Accounts Committee, alongside air safety concerns post-Ahmedabad.
On June 26, the civil aviation ministry had stated that the AAIB had promptly initiated an investigation and formed a multi-disciplinary team on June 13, including an aviation medicine specialist, an Air Traffic Control (ATC) officer, and representatives from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Meanwhile, a high-level multi-disciplinary committee, led by the Union Home Secretary, is also examining the crash`s causes and will propose comprehensive guidelines to prevent future incidents.
(With inputs from PTI)