Ahmedabad Air India Crash: Boeing And Global Investigators Land At Site To Probe Cause
Global probe underway into Air India Ahmedabad crash that killed 241. Boeing, NTSB, and FAA join AAIB as black box data is analyzed. DNA matches confirm 92 victims; rescue efforts praised.
A multinational investigation is now underway into the catastrophic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives. Teams from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and aerospace giant Boeing have reached the crash site to support India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in determining the cause of the June 12 tragedy.
The ill-fated London-bound flight AI-171 crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Onboard were 242 individuals, including 12 crew members. Only one person, a British national of Indian origin, survived and remains hospitalized.
Among the deceased were 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and 181 Indian nationals. The crash also claimed the life of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who will be cremated in Rajkot with full state honours.
International Help Joins Indian Authorities
The AAIB, which retrieved the black box from the crash site within 24 hours, is now in the process of extracting and analyzing data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR). These components are critical in reconstructing the aircraft's final moments and understanding what led to the crash.
#WATCH | A team from Boeing arrives at the Air India plane crash site in Ahmedabad, Gujarat pic.twitter.com/efyoypvWSL
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2025
Downloading data from the DFDR alone could take up to 25 hours, while the CVR may require two. The full analysis and interpretation of flight metrics—including speed and angle of attack—may take several more days, according to a former AAIB investigator.
The AAIB now has its own laboratory for this work, inaugurated in April 2025 by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. This marks a shift from previous crashes, such as the 2020 Air India Express disaster in Calicut, when data had to be sent to the U.S. for analysis.
Ahmedabad, Gujarat: A Boeing investigation team has arrives at the site of the Ahmedabad plane crash pic.twitter.com/MoRADOGD88
— IANS (@ians_india) June 16, 2025
However, questions remain about whether the AAIB has in-house expertise specific to the Boeing 787 aircraft. A former official noted that such type-rated investigators may only exist within Air India, which could raise concerns about conflict of interest. Both the AAIB and the Ministry of Civil Aviation have yet to respond to queries on this matter.
DNA Matches Confirm 92 Victims
At Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, where many of the bodies were brought, officials have confirmed that DNA tests have identified 92 body parts corresponding to 87 individuals. So far, 47 bodies have been returned to grieving families across Gujarat and beyond, including districts such as Kheda, Vadodara, Junagadh, and Mahisagar.
Dr. Rajnish Patel, Additional Medical Superintendent, told reporters that nearly 600 doctors, drivers, and support staff have been mobilized to facilitate the respectful handover of remains.
PM’s Office Steps In
On Sunday, Dr. P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visited the crash site and BJ Medical College, where victims were initially taken. He also chaired a high-level review meeting with officials from both the state and central governments, praising the timely and coordinated response of various agencies.
“I met some of the relatives of those who unfortunately died or were injured. They are satisfied with the work done by the state government and other public agencies,” Dr. Mishra said after the meeting.
Tarun Kapoor, Adviser to the PM, and Mangesh Ghildiyal, Deputy Secretary in the PMO, also accompanied Dr. Mishra during the review.
New Safety Protocols in the Pipeline
In the wake of the disaster, the central government has constituted a special committee led by the Home Secretary. The panel will recommend new standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preventing such incidents and strengthening emergency response systems involving multiple stakeholders.
Under international aviation rules laid out in the Chicago Convention by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the country where the accident occurs is responsible for the investigation. A preliminary report must be issued within 30 days, with a full final report encouraged within a year.
While the NTSB and FAA are assisting, both agencies have stated that the Indian government will lead and control the release of all information related to the crash investigation, as per ICAO protocols.
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