Air India Crash Investigation: All Potential Causes Under Scrutiny as Compensation Process Continues

In the devastating Air India plane crash, 260 individuals, including 12 crew members, lost their lives, while 75 others sustained injuries.

New Delhi:

On Monday, the civil aviation ministry announced that all potential factors contributing to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad in June are under thorough investigation. They emphasized that the preliminary investigation report contains factual information based on evidence available at that specific time.

The tragic accident claimed 260 lives, including 241 passengers and crew members, when a London Gatwick-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad on June 12. Only one passenger survived the catastrophe. The aircraft was operating flight AI171.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), responsible for investigating the fatal accident, released its preliminary findings on July 12. Some concerns regarding the investigation have been raised in certain quarters.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday that the preliminary report contains factual information derived from evidence available at that point. He confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing, with all possible causes of the accident being thoroughly examined.

In a written response, the minister also noted that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has established comprehensive Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) to ensure safe aircraft operation and maintenance.

According to Air India, interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh has been disbursed to families of 237 victims, while compensation for the remaining 11 victims' families is at various stages of verification.

"The process for final compensation has also been initiated for all victims, and communication has been sent to the families requesting the necessary information.

"Of the 75 injured individuals, full and final compensation has been settled for 43, while interim compensation has been released for 24. For the remaining 8 injured individuals, interim compensation is at various verification stages. The final compensation process has also begun for individuals who have received interim compensation," Mohol stated in a separate written reply.

Additionally, ex gratia payments of Rs 1 crore each from Tata Trusts have been made to 86 families of victims, including 6 crew members.