Image Source: Agencies

July 10, 2025: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is likely to make public its preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, this week.
AAIB officials reportedly informed a high-level parliamentary panel on Wednesday of this. At least 260 people were killed in the crash on June 12, of which 241 were passengers and crew members. One passenger had miraculously escaped.
Sources aware of the development also said no report had been finalised so far and investigations were still underway in the incident.
The parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture of Rajya Sabha heard the views of civil aviation ministry secretary and AAIB officials on the overall review of safety in the civil aviation sector. The panel is headed by JDU MP Sanjay Jha.
AAIB officials told the panel during the day-long meeting that the black box and voice recorder of the aircraft were intact and data was being investigated, sources said. They added that the help of foreign players, including aircraft manufacturer Boeing, was sought to carry out detailed and thorough investigations.
The AAIB had initiated an investigation a day after the crash and constituted a multi-disciplinary team headed by its Director General GVG Yugandhar in line with globally prescribed norms.
After the plane crash in Ahmedabad a month ago, members of different political parties questioned official agencies and private airlines about the safety standards they adhere to. Sources said it was pointed out during the meeting that there has been an over 8 per cent drop in domestic airline traffic and less than one per cent in international traffic in India after the Ahmedabad crash.
Some members also raised the issue of "haphazard" growth around airports in the country including dense populations living around several airports due to rapid urbanisation and growth, sources informed.
It was also pointed out by some members that the Air Traffic Controllers in India are handling too much traffic, much above the international norms which could lead to human errors and result in a major disaster.
Sources informed that there was concern among some members over a large number of vacancies in aviation regulator DGCA, while a few others spoke about the agency not implementing several of the earlier recommendations of the committee.
According to the sources, the DGCA was instructed to fill the positions as soon as possible because nearly half of them were currently vacant.