New Delhi [India], March 9 : Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu has said that the probe by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the tragic crash of a London-bound Air India flight is progressing at a "very good pace" and the report should come out within a year of the incident.
The crash took place soon after the aircraft took off from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12 last year.
"The investigation is going at a very good pace, and the ministry is providing all the resources that are required for the AAIB. The report should be out by the completion of the year," Naidu said, answering queries during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha.
The Minister was answering a query from Shiv Sena member Milind Deora
Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crashed soon after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people, including 229 passengers and 12 crew members. Nineteen people on the ground were killed.
Answering another query, Naidu said around 90,000 people have been able to travel from the Gulf region in the last week amid the escalating conflict in West Asia.
He said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has engaged with the airlines for passenger safety.
"DGCA has engaged with airlines and issued them circulars so they can only operate when they ensure 100 per cent safety is there when they are operating to West Asia. Whatever we can do in terms of safe operations and making people travel to those destinations in India, we are able to do with the help of airlines. Around 90,000 people were able to travel last week. We are seeing that the situation might get better, so more people can travel through," he said.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said earlier that it is closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia affecting air travel between India and the region. Airlines are undertaking necessary operational adjustments in view of the prevailing conditions to ensure passenger safety and orderly conduct of flight operations.
Passenger movement data for March 7 showed that a total of 51 inbound flights operated by Indian carriers arrived in India from the region carrying 8,175 passengers.