US Teams In Ahmedabad As Air India Crash Investigation Continues
India-West News Desk
AHMEDABAD – In the wake of the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, U.S. aviation safety officials have joined the ongoing investigation into the disaster that claimed at least 271 lives.
Officials from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were on-site in Ahmedabad on June 15, surveying the wreckage and beginning their assessment, sources confirmed to Reuters.
Their presence follows an announcement on June 13 by U.S. Department of Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, who stated that teams from both the FAA and NTSB would be deployed to India. Boeing, the manufacturer of the ill-fated aircraft, and GE, whose engines powered the plane, have also dispatched their own teams to assist with the probe.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 individuals and bound for Gatwick Airport, rapidly lost height after departing Ahmedabad. It subsequently erupted into a massive fireball upon impact with buildings below. All but one person on board perished in the crash, and an additional 30 people on the ground were killed.
While India’s aviation regulator is leading the comprehensive investigation, the NTSB serves as the official U.S. representative providing assistance, with the FAA offering crucial technical support. “We’ll take action should any recommendations come forward from the NTSB’s investigation,” Secretary Duffy told Reuters.
Boeing officials are expected to examine various parameters, including the angle of the aircraft upon impact, as they work to determine the cause of the disaster.
In total, approximately 10 officials, including those from the NTSB, were present at the crash site on June 15. Domestically, India’s aviation regulator has mandated inspections for all Boeing 787s operated by local carriers in response to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, medical professionals in Ahmedabad are grappling with the grim task of identifying bodies, many of which were severely charred, necessitating the use of dental samples and DNA profiling.
