New Delhi: The Air India flight (AI 159), which was supposed to be the first London-bound service from Ahmedabad since last week’s tragic crash, did not depart on Tuesday due to a technical issue. This marks the fourth incident involving an Air India plane in the last 24 hours.
The flight to London was set to leave at 1.10 pm today. The airline announced that passengers would receive a refund.
The unfortunate AI 171, which crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad last week, resulting in the loss of 274 lives, has been retired following the incident and replaced by AI 159.
According to data from Flightradar24, the aircraft designated for this route is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the same model that was involved in the recent Air India crash.
In another matter, an additional Air India flight that was supposed to travel from London Gatwick to Amritsar today was also cancelled. Air India has not yet revealed the specific reason for this cancellation.
“AI170 from London Gatwick to Amritsar on 17 June has been cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers and have arranged alternative travel to their destination. We are providing hotel accommodations and offering full refunds for cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if passengers choose that option,” the airline stated.
AIR INDIA RECENT INCIDENTS
This news comes as safety concerns regarding wide-body aircraft continue to rise.
Earlier today, an Air India flight (AI 180) from San Francisco to Mumbai encountered a technical issue with one of its engines, necessitating the deplaning of passengers during a scheduled stop at Kolkata airport.
On Monday, an Air India Dreamliner (AI 315), traveling from Hong Kong to Delhi, had to return shortly after take-off due to a suspected technical problem. On the same day, an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi was redirected back to the national capital because of a suspected issue.
AI 171 CRASH INQUIRY
These incidents come just days after Air India flight AI 171, which was headed to Gatwick Airport in London, crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building in Ahmedabad mere seconds after take-off.
Tragically, all but one of the 242 passengers and crew aboard the Boeing 787-8, along with another 29 individuals on the ground, including five MBBS students, lost their lives.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is overseeing the investigation, has successfully retrieved the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR), marking a significant step in determining the cause of this tragic accident. Together, the CVR and FDR are commonly referred to as the “black box” of an aircraft.
An aviation expert has proposed that dual engine failure might be a potential reason for the crash. Captain Steve Scheibner, a former US Navy pilot, informed India Today that the activation of the ram air turbine (RAT) shortly after take-off suggests a dual engine failure.
