The Monsoon Session of Parliament commenced on Monday amid a somber national backdrop following the Pahalgam terror attack and the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad . On the first day, the Rajya Sabha witnessed pointed discussions on aviation safety during the Question Hour. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu addressed the House in response to queries raised by BJP MP Ashok Chavan regarding the cause of engine failure in Air India flight AI-171 and the preliminary findings from the investigation.
“The preliminary report has been released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Whenever black boxes are damaged, they are sent to the original manufacturer for decoding. For the first time in India, we have taken a firm stand to explore corrective measures ourselves,” Naidu stated. He cautioned that it is “too early” to draw any “definite conclusions” regarding the Ahmedabad crash and that the government would issue a formal response only after the AAIB submits its final report.
Reassuring the House of the integrity of the investigation, Naidu added, “The AAIB is completely unbiased and is conducting a thorough, rule-based probe. We have followed all the corrective and suggestive measures laid out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) without any negligence.”
Addressing criticism and speculation from various media outlets, the Minister said, “I’ve seen multiple reports, both domestic and international, promoting their own narratives. However, our investigation is based solely on facts. We are committed to uncovering the truth, not targeting pilots, Boeing, Air India, or any other stakeholder.”
Naidu also emphasized that the government has not discriminated between victims of the crash. “The compensation provided is the same for all victims passengers onboard, individuals killed on the ground, and students who died at the nearby medical college,” he said. The Minister further stated that the committee formed after the Ahmedabad incident is actively working on all aspects of civil aviation to improve facilities and ensure such incidents are reduced to zero.
The fatal incident occurred on June 12, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed into a building shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people, including 19 on the ground. Of the 242 people onboard, only one passenger survived. The AAIB released its preliminary report into the crash a month later.
