Air India Flight AI171 Crashes: Air India flight AI171, en route from Ahmedabad to London, crashed on June 12th, resulting in the death of 270 people. Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced the commencement of an investigation.
Plane Crash: A press conference was held by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday, following the crash of Air India flight AI171 on June 12th. The confirmed death toll has reached 270. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Ministry Secretary Samar Kumar Sinha shared details of the incident and discussed the ongoing investigation.
Aircraft Lost Altitude Shortly After Takeoff
Secretary Samar Kumar Sinha began the press conference by stating that Air India flight AI171 departed Ahmedabad at 1:39 PM on June 12th. Seconds after takeoff, the aircraft reached an altitude of 650 feet before rapidly losing height. The pilot simultaneously issued a MAYDAY call to Air Traffic Control (ATC), indicating a serious emergency.
ATC attempted immediate contact but received no response. At 1:40 PM, exactly one minute after takeoff, the aircraft crashed in the Meghaninagar area, two kilometers from Ahmedabad airport.
242 People Onboard
There were 242 people on board, including 230 passengers, two pilots, and ten crew members. The aircraft had completed flights from Paris to Delhi and then Delhi to Ahmedabad without incident. However, this tragedy occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, shocking the nation.
Runway Temporarily Closed
The runway was closed at 2:30 PM for safety reasons following the accident. After completing all necessary protocols and investigative procedures, the runway reopened at 5:00 PM for limited operations. The entire team from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, including the Minister, arrived at the control room and later at the crash site.
Minister Ram Mohan Naidu's Initial Response
Speaking at the press conference, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that the past two days have been incredibly difficult. He described his visit to the crash site and assessment of the situation. He said, "The scene was difficult to describe; it was deeply disturbing."
Passenger Safety a Top Priority
Naidu emphasized the government's strengthened commitment to passenger safety following the incident. He announced the formation of a high-level committee, headed by the Home Secretary, to investigate the accident and submit its report within three months.
Black Box to Reveal Cause of Crash
The Aviation Minister stated that the black box is undergoing analysis to determine the cause of the crash. He added, "The black box was recovered last evening, and the decoding process has begun. This investigation is under the AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau). We eagerly await the report, which will clarify the cause of the accident."
DGCA and IB Also Involved in Investigation
The press conference revealed that officials from the DGCA and IB are also participating in the investigation. The crash site has been completely sealed to prevent tampering with any evidence.
