By: Isuru Parakrama
June 15, Colombo (LNW): India’s civil aviation authorities have launched a comprehensive inspection drive across the country’s fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft in the wake of a catastrophic crash that killed 270 people earlier this week, Reuters reported.
The incident, which involved an Air India Dreamliner en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, is being described as one of the most devastating aviation disasters in recent memory.
The aircraft, which had just taken off, reportedly experienced a sudden loss in altitude before crashing into a group of buildings and erupting into flames.
The wreckage was scattered across a section of Ahmedabad, where the plane struck the hostel complex of a local medical college, resulting in mass casualties. Only one person on board survived.
Ram Mohan Naidu, India’s Minister for Civil Aviation, confirmed that all Boeing 787 aircraft operated by Indian carriers are undergoing immediate safety inspections. These checks, which include engine diagnostics and performance tests, are focused on Dreamliners equipped with GEnx engines.
According to officials, eight aircraft have already been examined, and inspections on the remaining jets are being expedited.
Air India, which operates 33 Boeing 787 aircraft, and IndiGo, with a single Dreamliner, have both been instructed to prioritise safety reviews. Though no blanket grounding has been enforced, Indian regulators have not ruled out that possibility should the investigations uncover systemic concerns.
The airline has acknowledged the regulatory directive and said it is in the process of completing additional technical checks, particularly focusing on take-off performance, engine behaviour, and fuel systems. The carrier has warned of potential delays on some long-haul flights due to extended turnaround times resulting from the checks.
Early reports suggest investigators are scrutinising several technical aspects of the aircraft’s operation, including whether the landing gear had fully retracted, the positioning of wing flaps during ascent, and anomalies in engine thrust. A special government committee has been tasked with producing a detailed report within three months.
Meanwhile, recovery operations have been ongoing at the crash site, with emergency teams having now removed large sections of the aircraft from impacted buildings. Among the most heart-breaking scenes has been at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where families of the deceased have gathered, desperate for news and closure.
Forensic specialists are working round the clock, matching dental records and conducting DNA profiling to identify the severely charred remains of the victims.
Out of the 242 individuals on board, 270 fatalities have been confirmed, a discrepancy arising from the number of people killed on the ground when the aircraft struck the hostel building. Medical teams are particularly affected, as several of the dead were associated with the medical college targeted by the crash.
Survivors from the institution have spoken of deep emotional trauma, with one unnamed doctor noting the mental toll the tragedy has taken on those tasked with identifying friends and colleagues.
In an effort to support grieving families, Air India has announced interim financial relief. Each bereaved family is to receive ₹2.5 million (£23,000), in addition to the previously pledged ₹10 million in assistance from the Tata Group, the airline’s parent company. A formal process to return personal belongings and remains to next of kin has now begun.
Grief-stricken families have expressed frustration over the pace of identification procedures. Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four loved ones, pleaded for clarity on when he could recover their bodies. Another father, mourning his son, expressed anguish over the long wait required for DNA confirmation.
At the heart of the investigation lies growing scrutiny over aircraft maintenance and safety oversight. As India’s aviation sector rapidly expands, observers have pointed to the urgent need for stronger regulatory frameworks to keep pace with fleet growth and increased air traffic.
Boeing has yet to comment extensively on the incident, though industry analysts expect that the findings of India’s inquiry will have global ramifications, particularly if technical faults linked to the aircraft model are confirmed.
