US team to join probe in India

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has dispatched a team of investigators to India to assist in the probe into the deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8. The aircraft’s engine manufacturer, General Electric, has also stated it is prepared to support the investigation.

General Electric said, “We have activated our emergency response team and are prepared to support our customers and the investigation.”

The ill-fated Dreamliner was delivered new to Air India in 2014 and had logged approximately 40,000 flight hours.

In the US, the NTSB announced, “The NTSB will be leading a team of US investigators travelling to India to assist the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with its investigation into the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad.”

It added that, as per international protocols under the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 13, all official information on the investigation will be provided by the Government of India.

Additionally, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said it is “ready to launch a team immediately, in coordination with the NTSB”.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing stated, “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all those affected.”