Govt forms high-level committee to probe Air India AI171 crash; report expected in three months

(The Statesman) -- The Central government on Saturday constituted a high-level committee, headed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, to investigate the crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, which claimed the lives of 241 people.
The committee, comprising experts from multiple disciplines, will examine the circumstances and causes of the crash and submit its report within three months, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced at a press conference.
In addition to investigating the crash, the committee will recommend measures to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in the future, Naidu added.
The high-powered panel includes the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, a representative from the Gujarat State Disaster Response Force, the Police Commissioner of Ahmedabad, Director General (Inspection and Safety) of the Indian Air Force, Director General (DGCA), Special Director (IB), and Director (FSL).
The minister clarified that this committee is separate from the one formed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The AAIB committee, headed by its Director General, will conduct the technical investigation, which is standard procedure following any air crash.
Addressing the press, the minister stated: “One important update from the ongoing technical investigation by the AAIB is the recovery of the black box yesterday around 5 pm from the crash site.
The AAIB team believes that decoding the black box will provide in-depth insight into what actually occurred during the crash or in the moments leading up to it. We are eagerly awaiting the findings of the full investigation.”
Before the press conference, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the victims of the Air India crash.
Naidu said, “We have very strict safety standards in the country. After the incident, we felt the need for extended surveillance of the Boeing 787 series. The DGCA has ordered immediate extended surveillance of all Boeing 787 aircraft.”
He informed that there are currently 34 Boeing 787 aircraft in India’s fleet. Of these, eight have already been inspected, and all others will be inspected urgently.
Describing the past two days as extremely difficult, the minister said the tragedy near Ahmedabad airport has shaken the entire nation. He added that upon hearing the news of the crash, he rushed to the site to assess the situation and coordinate necessary support, a response mirrored by the Gujarat government.

(Latest Update June 16, 2025)