NEW DELHI, India. India’s aviation regulator has ordered immediate inspections of all Boeing 787 aircraft operated by Indian carriers following a devastating Air India crash that killed 270 people this week. The country’s aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, announced on Saturday that the inspections were part of an ongoing investigation into the causes of the crash.
Air India was instructed on Friday to conduct additional maintenance checks on its fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft with GEnx engines. These checks include assessments of take-off parameters, electronic engine controls, and fuel systems.
“We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet,” said Naidu during a press briefing in New Delhi. “Eight have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done.”
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner involved in the crash had 242 people onboard and was bound for Gatwick Airport in the UK. Moments after take-off on Thursday, it lost altitude and crashed into a building, erupting into flames. It is the deadliest aviation disaster worldwide in the past decade.
Air India operates 33 of the Boeing 787 aircraft, while IndiGo operates one, based on data from Flightradar24. IndiGo has not issued a statement in response to the crash or inspections.
Air India confirmed it is complying with the mandated safety checks and warned that long-haul routes may experience delays due to increased turnaround time. The aircraft have not been grounded, but a government source told Reuters that grounding is under consideration.
Investigators are looking into several technical aspects, including engine thrust, flap performance, and whether the landing gear failed to retract during takeoff.
So far, 270 bodies have been recovered, according to Dhaval Gameti of the Junior Doctors Association at B.J. Medical College. Only one passenger survived. The aircraft struck the medical college’s hostel building, intensifying the tragedy for those at the institution.
Authorities have begun returning bodies to families, though many remain unclaimed due to the need for DNA matching and dental identification, especially given the severe burns suffered by victims. Forensic dentists have matched at least 11 DNA samples so far, with three bodies expected to be released by Saturday evening.
Family members outside Ahmedabad Civil Hospital expressed frustration over the delays and lack of information. “We have lost our children… Please help us get information about our children,” said Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four relatives.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline has begun the process of reuniting families with the remains and belongings of their loved ones. The airline will provide an interim financial assistance of ₹2.5 million ($29,000) to the families of the deceased and the sole survivor, on top of the ₹10 million previously announced by the Tata Group, which acquired Air India in 2022.
The crash has renewed scrutiny on Air India, which has been undergoing restructuring and modernization under the Tata Group. Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran stated the company is determined to understand the cause of the crash but “we don’t know right now.”
A government panel has begun a formal investigation and is expected to release a report within three months.
“We are going to improve every necessary thing that is going to come our way, to improve the safety,” Naidu said.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
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- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
