Air India Plane Crash: NIA, other central agencies officials visit Ahmedabad accident site to assist probe

Air India Plane Crash: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies' officials visited the Ahmedabad plane crash site on June 13, news agency PTI said, quoting sources.

Sources said the central agencies' officials visited the accident site without divulging further details, the news agency said.

A London-bound Air India flight - Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft - with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, crashed into a medical college complex, moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, on Thursday afternoon.

Air India has confirmed that 241 people onboard the flight have died. Only one passenger miraculously survived the crash.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), under the Civil Aviation Ministry, has started a probe into the crash. The AAIB is responsible for classifying safety occurrences involving aircraft operating in Indian airspace as accidents and serious incidents.

Gujarat Police and Fire Brigade officials said efforts are on to recover the black box of Air India flight AI 171, as its analysis will provide vital clues about what triggered the disaster.

A black box is a small device that records information about an aircraft during its flight.

Upon his arrival in Ahmedabad, PM Modi was received by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Ministers Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and CR Paatil.

Modi also visited the site of the tragedy. “Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy,” PM Modi posted on X.

(With PTI inputs)

Key Takeaways

• The investigation into the Air India plane crash is being led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
• Only one passenger survived the crash among 241 people on board.
• The recovery of the black box is crucial for understanding the cause of the disaster.