Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Less than two weeks after one of India's most devastating aviation disasters, Air India is grappling with a series of technical failures and flight cancellations, raising serious questions about its operational reliability and safety protocols.
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday when the airline abruptly cancelled its London-bound flight, AI159, from Ahmedabad, citing an unspecified "technical issue" discovered during a routine inspection. This cancellation marks the second time in two days that an Ahmedabad-London flight has been grounded, with a Monday service also cancelled due to operational delays that caused the crew to exceed their duty time limits.
This string of setbacks comes as the airline operates in the shadow of the horrific June 12 crash. In that incident, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing 270 of the 271 people on board. The disaster, which saw the plane slam into buildings near the BJ Medical College, has put the airline under intense national scrutiny.
A Pattern of Technical Problems Emerges
The issues are not confined to Ahmedabad. In recent days, Air India's network has been hit by multiple technical glitches:
- A San Francisco-Mumbai flight was forced to make a layover in Kolkata after an engine glitch.
- An Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi had to turn back shortly after takeoff due to a suspected technical fault.
- A Hong Kong-New Delhi flight returned to its point of origin mid-air because of a malfunction.
The Aftermath and Official Response
As the airline navigates its current operational challenges, the recovery efforts from the June 12 tragedy continue. Authorities have so far identified 119 victims through DNA matching, with the remains of 76 individuals handed over to their grieving families.
The crash has triggered a swift response from the government. Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol announced that a high-level committee will investigate the disaster and submit a report within three months. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport is set to summon top officials from aviation bodies like the DGCA and BCAS, as well as airline representatives, to review safety standards across the industry.
Mohol confirmed that of Air India's 34 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 12 have already undergone rigorous safety checks with no issues found. However, for an airline and a nation still mourning, the recurring technical faults serve as a painful and worrying reminder of the immense responsibility that comes with ensuring passenger safety.
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