Ahmedabad plane crash: High-level panel to submit report in 3 months; 275 autopsies completed

New Delhi: The Union government has set up a high-level multi-disciplinary committee, headed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, to investigate the causes of the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The panel will also draft comprehensive guidelines to prevent such disasters in the future.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Saturday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening air safety. He said the panel will submit its report within three months.

Expressing his condolences, Naidu said, “The personal stories of those who died are heart-wrenching. I have instructed Air India to extend full support to the families of passengers. DNA testing is underway, and we are ensuring there is no lapse in handing over bodies to the rightful relatives.”

He added, “We are going to ensure we improve safety protocols to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI171 to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, killing all 241 passengers and several others on the ground. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a parallel probe.

According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the newly formed panel will not replace other ongoing inquiries but will focus on policy and procedural reforms. “The committee will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future and will publish its report within three months,” a ministry statement said.

The committee includes senior officials from the ministries of civil aviation and home affairs, the Gujarat home department, Gujarat State Disaster Response Authority, Ahmedabad Police, the Indian Air Force, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Intelligence Bureau, and Directorate of Forensic Science Services.

The panel may also co-opt aviation experts, legal advisors, and accident investigators. It will assess mechanical failure, human error, weather conditions, and regulatory compliance as potential contributing factors.

It will also review emergency response and coordination efforts during and after the crash, evaluate existing protocols, and study past incidents to help frame a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for central and state agencies.

The committee will have access to flight data and cockpit voice recorders, air traffic control logs, maintenance records, and witness statements. It may also collaborate with international agencies if foreign nationals or manufacturers are involved.

The panel is expected to recommend policy changes, operational improvements, and enhanced training for aviation and emergency response personnel.

275 autopsies conducted
Hospital authorities in Ahmedabad said 275 postmortems had been completed by Friday evening, indicating at least 275 fatalities in the crash. Of these, 34 are believed to have died on the ground after the aircraft plunged into the BJ Medical College hostel complex.

The government has yet to release an official death toll, stating that confirmation will come only after DNA matches with relatives—a process that may take up to a week.