The Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday held a press conference meeting for the first time since the horrific Air India AI-171 plane crash that took place in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The ministry said that the Air India aircraft AI-171 could reach a height of only 650 feet after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, after which the plane started losing altitude rapidly.
Civil Aviation Secretary Sameer Kumar Sinha explained that just one minute after takeoff, the aircraft began descending sharply. At 1:39 PM, the pilot sent a "Mayday" call to Air Traffic Control (ATC). Within a minute, the plane crashed into the medical hospital complex near Meghani Nagar.
Before the crash, there were no reported technical issues with the flight. Sinha confirmed that the plane had completed its journey from Paris to Delhi to Ahmedabad without any problems. Addressing the first press conference since Thursday's plane crash, Civil Aviation Minister Naidu expressed grief over the accident and also recalled how he lost his father in a road accident.
The Modi government has formed a high-level committee to investigate the crash and given it the deadline of 3 months to submit its reports within three months.
Chaired by the home secretary, this committee includes senior officials from both central and state governments. Its mandate includes determining the cause of the accident, reviewing current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines, and offering comprehensive recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future.
Following directives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), investigations are underway on Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Out of the 34 Dreamliners operating in India, inspections have been completed on eight planes so far.
The ill-fated flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew, out of which 241 lost their lives. Only one person survived the crash. Additionally, over 20 people lost their lives at the medical hospital complex, where the plane crashed.
