Ahmedabad plane crash: High-level committee to submit report in 90 days, says minister
Murlidhar Mohol said that safety checks have been conducted on 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and no issue has been found so far.
Union minister Murlidhar Mohol on Tuesday said the high-level multi-disciplinary committee, formed to investigate the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, will submit its report within three months.
The announcement of a probe committee comes days after Air India flight 171, belonging to Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet, crashed on Thursday shortly after take-off, leading to the death of 241 passengers and people on the ground.
Mohol said that safety checks have been conducted on 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and no issue has been found so far, news agency PTI reported. Air India operates 34 such aircraft.
The minister also expressed hope that an analysis of the plane's black box data will provide clues about the possible reasons of crash.
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The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 230 passengers and 12 crew members onboard crashed into the complex of a medical college moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12.
All the people on the plane, barring one passenger on the seat 11A, died in the crash. 29 people on the ground were also killed in the accident, officials said.
So far, 135 victims have so far been identified through DNA matching and 101 bodies handed over to their families.
Multiple agencies probing crash
Earlier on Saturday, the government formed a high-level multi-disciplinary panel to ascertain the "root cause" of the crash of the London-bound plane in Ahmedabad.
The committee will also assess any contributing factors including mechanical failure, human error and regulatory compliances, the government said.
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However, the Civil Aviation Ministry clarified that the panel headed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan will not be a substitute to other probes being conducted by other organisations.
"The investigation is underway and several small details will be investigated. Many things will come to light after downloading the 'black box'. A committee has been appointed under the chairmanship of the Union Home Secretary to investigate the matter. The report will be submitted within three months," Mohol said.
The black box of the Air India plane, which includes the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder, has already been recovered and possibly lead to vital clues behind the disaster.
"The Air India operates a total of 34 Dreamliner aircraft. Orders have been given to inspect and investigate all the 34 carriers. Of them, 10 to 12 carriers have been inspected so far and no issue has been found in them yet," the minister added.
The investigating agencies are looking into all possible causes for the crash, including loss of thrust in both engines of the aircraft, multiple bird strikes, or a potential wing flap issue.
The high-level panel, chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, has deliberated on various possibilities that could have led to the Ahmedabad crash at its first meeting in Delhi, sources told PTI on Monday.
A separate investigation is also being carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is looking into the technical aspects of the crash.
Meanwhile, the United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also launched a parallel probe into the crash, drawing several international experts to the accident site.
