Investigators at Air India are probing the theory that sabotage could be the sinister reason behind the catastrophic plane crash that claimed the lives of 241 passengers and 19 individuals on the ground earlier this month.
The sole survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was among those aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner when it crashed shortly following its take-off from Ahmedabad, heading for London Gatwick with 52 Brits on board. Immediately after the disaster on June 12, authorities initiated an inquiry.
As part of the inquiry, the Indian government has now acknowledged that sabotage is one possible consideration. Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation in India, confirmed: “The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun a full probe. It is being assessed from all angles, including any possible sabotage.”
Previously, some speculation of a deliberate act had circulated, but now there has been formal acknowledgment by officials that sabotage was a possible cause of the disaster. The civil aviation ministry announced on Thursday (June 26) that investigators are meticulously sifting through data retrieved from the aircraft’s black boxes, which holds the key to understanding precisely what led to the tragic incident.
The ministry said: “These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences.” The investigation is being spearheaded by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, or AAIB, with assistance from the US National Transport Safety Board.
The black boxes, crucial pieces of forensic evidence in any plane crash, were retrieved from the wreckage site a few days post-crash. Despite their name, these boxes are typically orange and consist of two robust devices: the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, reports the Mirror.
These black boxes were transported from Ahmedabad to New Delhi, the national capital, on an Indian Air Force aircraft under stringent security measures earlier this week. The duration of the investigation could span weeks or even months.
Alongside the ongoing investigation, the Indian government has established a separate high-level committee tasked with examining the causes that led to the crash and devising procedures to prevent and manage future aircraft emergencies.
This committee is anticipated to submit a preliminary report within a three-month timeframe. In response to the crash, Indian authorities have mandated comprehensive checks of Air India’s entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to avert similar incidents in the future. The airline currently operates 33 Dreamliners as part of its fleet.
Inspections have been finalised for at least 26, whilst four are currently undergoing long-term maintenance. The remaining ones are anticipated to complete the safety checks shortly.
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