After Air India crash kills 265, Centre forms high-level panel to fix aviation SOP gaps

Just moments after takeoff, Air India Flight AI-171 crashed into a residential building near Ahmedabad airport, turning a routine journey to London into India’s deadliest aviation disaster in over a decade. The crash, which killed at least 265 people and left only one survivor, has now prompted the government to launch a sweeping inquiry into what went wrong.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday announced that a high-level multi-disciplinary committee will be formed to investigate the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171, which was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport on June 12.

According to the ministry, the committee will examine the circumstances leading to the crash and review the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety protocols currently in place across India’s aviation sector.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry said the panel’s main goal is to “recommend a robust framework for preventing and effectively managing similar aviation incidents in the future.”

It also clarified that this new committee would not interfere with or replace other formal investigations already underway.

“The Committee will not be a substitute to other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated.

The deadly crash

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, crashed into a medical college hostel minutes after departing Ahmedabad airport. On board were 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and only one person survived.

Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft struggled to climb before spiralling downward into a fiery explosion. Videos from the scene captured the chaos moments before the crash.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met survivors at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on Friday. Meanwhile, a large-scale identification process is underway, with 70 to 80 doctors conducting post-mortems. So far, five victims have been identified and their remains handed over to families.

A formal investigation is being conducted by aviation authorities and forensic teams, who are analysing the wreckage to determine what caused the catastrophic failure. The findings from the new committee will be used to strengthen the aviation sector’s preparedness for such emergencies.