Praful Patel Calls Ahmedabad Plane Crash “Tragic,” Stresses Need for Black Box Investigation

By A Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, June 12 — Reacting to the horrific crash of the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London that killed over 200 people on Thursday, former Union Minister of Civil Aviation Praful Patel called the incident “a very tragic and sad day,” emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation before drawing conclusions.

Speaking to the media, Patel said, “We are all very concerned and worried that such an accident has taken place. Our condolences to the victims and their families. I hope for the speedy recovery if there are any survivors.”

Highlighting the technical sophistication of the aircraft, Patel said the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is among the most advanced and widely used aircraft globally. “There are thousands of Dreamliners flying all over the world by many airlines. There is no reason to doubt the aircraft itself,” he noted.

Patel confirmed reports that the pilot had issued a Mayday call, but said the aircraft had previously completed a domestic leg from Delhi to Ahmedabad without any reported snags. “The fact that the Captain decided to proceed with a 9.5-hour international flight means all pre-flight checks were satisfactorily completed. Pilots are trained to conduct thorough checks before any such long-haul flight.”

He stressed that only a proper investigation can reveal what truly went wrong. “What caused the fire or failure—only the black box will tell us. The data and cockpit voice recordings are essential to determine the sequence of events that led to this disaster.”

The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff, has raised serious questions about possible mid-air mechanical failure or other unforeseen emergencies. As search and recovery operations continue near the wreckage site in Ahmedabad, Patel urged the public and media to await official findings before speculating.