New Delhi: In a sombre press conference held at Udaan Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, accompanied by Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, MoCA Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, and senior aviation officials, addressed the media on the devastating crash of Air India Flight AI171, announcing a series of emergency measures and long-term safety reforms.
The briefing began with a minute of silence in memory of the 242 individuals on board, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members, who were on a routine flight from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed just moments after take-off on June 12 in Ahmedabad’s densely populated Meghani Nagar locality.
Unimaginable Loss, Urgent Response
Among the victims were young medical students from Meghani Nagar—aspiring doctors whose deaths, the minister said, represent a loss not only to their families but to the future of the nation.
“The entire country is in mourning. The grief is personal to me as well. I lost my father in an accident, and I understand, to some extent, the anguish that grieving families are going through,” said Naidu, his voice heavy with emotion.
The Government’s emergency response included immediate site visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Civil Aviation Minister himself. The PM visited both the crash site and the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, reviewed relief operations, and chaired a high-level meeting at the airport.
24×7 Control Room and Support Measures
In the aftermath, the Ministry of Civil Aviation activated a 24×7 control room at its headquarters, integrating personnel from DGCA, BCAS, CISF, and AAI. A dedicated media cell was set up at the National Media Centre to ensure timely information flow.
Key helplines were announced to assist families:
- Ahmedabad Airport Helpline: 9974111327
- MoCA Control Room: 011-24610843 / 9650391859
- Air India Passenger Helpline: 1800-5691-444
Air India has been directed to provide full logistical and emotional support to next of kin, including ex gratia compensation, travel assistance, and documentation aid. A dedicated support cell in London-Gatwick has also been established to assist British nationals and their families.
Investigations and Accountability
A five-member GO Team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was dispatched immediately. The black box was recovered on June 13 and is currently being decoded to extract crucial data about the final moments of the ill-fated flight.
“This will not only be treated as a technical incident but also a human tragedy. Our top priority is transparency and accountability,” said Naidu.
