India’s aviation minister announced on Thursday that a formal inquiry has been launched into the catastrophic crash of a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad—a disaster that has now claimed at least 260 lives.
“Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB),” said Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu. The probe, he added, will follow international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and involve close coordination with global aviation authorities.
As search teams continued combing through the wreckage into the early hours of Friday, the hunt for the aircraft’s black box flight recorders remained a priority—crucial tools in deciphering the final, fateful moments of the flight.
Air India confirmed that the doomed flight carried a diverse passenger list: 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. The flight crew included two pilots and 10 cabin staff.
The tragedy has cast a long shadow over India’s civil aviation sector, with both public grief and international scrutiny now converging on what led a modern long-haul jet to fall from the sky into the heart of a city.
Police said at least 260 people had been killed, including 19 people on the ground, but one passenger is believed to have survived.
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The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has officially extended its assistance to India in the aftermath of the devastating crash, with investigators from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also deployed to support the on-site inquiry.
Boeing, the American manufacturer of the ill-fated Dreamliner, expressed its readiness to aid Air India and Indian authorities, stating it is actively working to collect more information about the incident.
In a parallel move, the Indian government announced the formation of a high-level committee composed of experts from various fields. This panel is tasked with thoroughly examining the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and developing strategies to enhance aviation safety and prevent future catastrophes, according to Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu.