In the aftermath of the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 near Ahmedabad, the Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each passenger who lost their life in the disaster. The announcement was made via the group’s official social media channels.
“Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical’s hostel,” the group wrote on X.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed on Thursday afternoon, June 12, just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing at least 204 people and injuring 41 others. The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members when it plummeted into a hostel block of a government hospital in the densely populated Meghaninagar area, sparking a massive blaze and chaos across the locality.
As part of the relief measures, Air India has also arranged special flights from Delhi and Mumbai for the next of kin of the victims and airline staff. Timings and operational details for these flights have been shared on Air India’s official social media platforms.
In his first official statement since the incident, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured full support to the families affected. “We are coordinating closely with local and national authorities to assist with emergency response efforts and provide every possible form of support to those impacted,” he said.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft issued a “MAYDAY” distress call at 1:39 PM IST, moments after takeoff. It lost contact with air traffic control shortly thereafter and crashed at approximately 1:40 PM.
Rescue teams have since recovered the aircraft’s black box, which is expected to provide critical data to help investigators determine the cause of the crash – one of the deadliest in India’s aviation history.
