Gujarat IMA requests Tata sons' chairman to extend support for injured, deceased medical students after plane crash

In a letter to N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, the IMC said, "On behalf of the Indian Medical Association - Gujarat State Branch, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for Air India's announcement of Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of the passengers who tragically lost their lives in the recent incident, and for your generous support towards the renovation of the BJMC college hostel."

"We humbly request you also to consider extending financial assistance and necessary support to the medical students present at the crash site who were injured or lost their lives in this unfortunate event," said the letter.

"These individuals were not only victims but also future pillars of our healthcare system, and their well-being and families deserve similar care and support. Accordingly, we earnestly request you to declare immediately similar help to the medical students injured or who have lost their lives. We sincerely hope you will consider this request with compassion and urgency," the letter stated.

Meanwhile, officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) arrived in Ahmedabad, where the London-bound Air India flight crashed on June 12, killing 241 people out of 242 onboard.

The AAIB, a division under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is responsible for probing aircraft accidents in India.

On Thursday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched into the crash of Air India flight AI-171.

The Boeing 787-8, Air India flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into a resident doctors' hostel building shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

The US-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is preparing to send a team of investigators to India to assist in the ongoing probe into the deadly crash.

In parallel, the Indian government has constituted a high-level multidisciplinary committee to examine the causes leading to the crash and recommend preventive measures.

"The Committee will examine the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines issued to prevent and handle such occurrences and suggest comprehensive guidelines for dealing with such instances in the future," stated an order issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

"The Committee will not be a substitute for other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future," the order clarified.

According to the ministry, the committee will have access to all relevant records, including flight data, cockpit voice recordings, aircraft maintenance logs, air traffic control records, and witness testimonies. The panel is expected to submit its report within three months.

The committee is chaired by the Union Home Secretary and includes representatives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Indian Air Force, and aviation experts.

It also noted that it will formulate a comprehensive SOP and suggest the roles of all agencies and organisations of the central and state governments to deal with post-crash incident handling and management.