Air India crash: One week on, debris remains at site; investigation continues | India News
NEW DELHI: It has been a week since the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 274 lives. On Thursday, officials said that debris, including the aircraft’s damaged tail fin, still remains at the crash site as investigators continue to search for clues to determine the exact cause of the accident.The debris, including the tail fin, is still lying at the site. There are no orders yet to move the rubble elsewhere,” Ahmedabad’s additional chief fire officer, Jayesh Khadia said.Inspector DB Basiya of Meghaninagar police station confirmed that the AAIB will decide the fate of the plane wreckage. “The police’s role is limited to securing the area. AAIB will determine what to do with the remains, which may later be moved to another location for further examination,” he said.The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is leading an investigation to understand the cause of one of the worst air disasters in recent times. AAIB officials have been making regular visits to the crash site as part of the ongoing probe.Local fire personnel are assisting forensic and aviation experts with site operations.On June 12, the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, crashed into a hostel building of BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm.After the crash, the aircraft’s tail fin got stuck at the top of the damaged building and was brought down using cranes on June 14, two days after the incident.Days after the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was recovered, investigators also located the Cockpit Voice Recorder on June 16. Officials said this crucial discovery could help in understanding the cause of the crash.Officials confirmed the recovery of black boxes to PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inspected the site on Sunday.While the AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols, as the crashed aircraft was American-made, according to an official release.
