After Air India Flight 171 crashed, Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed that the company is keen to help the official investigation, led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
"I have talked to Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to express our full cooperation, and a Boeing team is prepared to assist the investigation being conducted by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau," Ortberg said on Thursday, after the tragic accident of the Boeing 787 plane.
The doomed flight, which was headed to London, had 242 individuals aboard, comprising two pilots and 10 cabin staff. It crashed soon after a takeoff from Ahmedabad, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The aircraft had taken off at 13:38 local time (0738 GMT) from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, according to Air India.
This marks the first recorded crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner model, according to data from the Aviation Safety Network.
Earlier in the day, Boeing issued a statement confirming its contact with Air India regarding the incident. "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 affected," the statement read.
Ortberg also expressed sympathy to the victims of the disaster: "Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and crew of Air India Flight 171, and to all those affected in Ahmedabad."
Boeing assured that it would follow international guidelines and wait for all formal updates to be given to India's AAIB as per standards laid by the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) - Annex 13.
Annex 13 of the ICAO convention stipulates worldwide procedures for the investigation of aircraft accidents and incidents. According to its provisions, every state where the accident occurs is tasked with carrying out or delegating the investigation.
The regulations outline an accident as any event involving the flight of an aircraft that causes fatal or severe injury, heavy damage to the aircraft, or results in the aircraft being reported missing. Serious incidents, although not amounting to a crash, also require investigation by an authorized agency or investigative body.
Annex 13 also determines how investigation participant states are identified and the reporting schedule. A preliminary report is generally to be submitted within 30 days after the event, followed by a final report either as soon as practicable or 12 months after the occurrence of the event.
