The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is sending a team of investigators to India to assist with the probe into the deadly 12 June crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8.
Operating as Air India flight 171, the widebody came down in an urban area shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad for a flight to London Gatwick airport.
Video posted on social media shows the jet descending in a nose-high attitude before bursting into flames after impact.
Powered by twin GE Aerospace GEnx turbofans, the 787-8 departed from Ahmedabad at 13:38 local time and was carrying 242 passengers and crew, says Air India. Initial reports indicate the crash was a mass-casualty event.
“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,” the US agency says.
“Per international protocols under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Annex 13, all information on the investigation will be provided by the Government of India,” it adds.
Additionally, the US Federal Aviation Administration says it is “ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB”.
Boeing says it is “in contact with Air India regarding flight 171 and [we] stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected”.
Among the 242 people aboard the jet, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, one was Canadian and seven were Portuguese citizens, Air India says.
Engine maker GE has “activated its emergency response team, and we are prepared to support our customers and the investigation”, it says.
The 787-8, registration VT-ANB, was delivered new to Air India in January 2014 and had logged some 41,000h of flight time and completed 8,000 cycles, according to fleet data provider Cirium.
