UK to join Indian investigation into Ahmedabad plane crash US offers support

London/Washington, June 12 (IANS) The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the United States' Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) on Thursday offered assistance in the investigation that is being carried out by the Indian authorities following the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick (LGW). 

"The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has formally offered its assistance to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, India. In addition, the UK AAIB will have expert status in the Indian safety investigation. This is in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 because UK citizens were on board the aircraft," read a statement issued by the AAIB.

"We are deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident," it added.

At least 169 Indians and 53 British nationals were travelling in the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft which crashed Thursday afternoon soon after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport.

Soon after the plane crash, the British High Commission in India said that it is working with local authorities to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved.

Meanwhile, in London, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated that British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call the listed phone numbers.

The advisory also mentioned that the Government of Gujarat State has established an Emergency Centre that can be contacted while Air India too has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number.

"As part of the UK's ongoing support in relation to today’s tragic incident, the AAIB will deploy a team to India to support the Indian Authorities in their investigation. I continue to receive regular updates on developments, and my thoughts remain with everyone involved," Heidi Alexander, UK's Secretary of State for Transport, posted on X.

The country's Air Accidents Investigation Branch investigates civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents within the UK, its overseas territories and crown dependencies.

AAIB inspectors are from four main disciplines: operations, engineering, recorded data and human factors. For a field investigation, the branch sends a small team of inspectors (at least two) selected from these disciplines to the accident site or to the location of the aircraft following a serious incident.

"A correspondence investigation into a serious incident involving a commercial aircraft can be more involved, for instance including the recovery of flight data recorders and analysis of evidence in our laboratories. On average, correspondence investigations are published around three months from the date of an incident," the AAIB details.

The Federal Aviation Agency of the United States also issued a statement on Air India Flight AI171, stating that it stands ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) - an independent US government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation.

"The FAA is in contact with the NTSB regarding Air India flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London Gatwick (LGW), that was involved in an accident in India on Thursday, June 12. When an international incident occurs, that government leads the investigation. In the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official US representative and the FAA provides technical support. We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB," read a statement issued by the FAA.

Picture Courtesy: IANS