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.
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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.”
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.”
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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.
