New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is probing the Air India Flight AI 2379 Phuket–Delhi incident, is presently engaged in the systematic collection, preservation and examination of all relevant technical, operational, medical, and human factor evidence, according to a statement issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday.
This includes examination of the A320 aircraft and its systems, recorded flight data, relevant operational and maintenance records, medical information, and interviews with persons concerned. All material evidence will be examined in its entirety before any conclusions are drawn, the statement said.
Certain records, statements, medical information and other material collected during the investigation are protected and confidential in accordance with the applicable investigation framework, it said. Maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the investigation process is essential to a fair, objective and technically sound determination of the facts.
The AAIB therefore requests all concerned, including the media and the public, to respect the investigation process and refrain from drawing conclusions on the basis of incomplete, unverified, or selectively available information, the statement said.
It stressed that the AAIB will conduct a thorough investigation covering all material facts and relevant evidence and will issue its preliminary findings within the stipulated timeframe in accordance with the applicable provisions and ICAO protocols. Further information will be placed in the public domain at the appropriate stage of the investigation, it said.
The sole objective of the investigation is to determine the circumstances and contributing factors relating to the occurrence and to identify appropriate safety measures to prevent recurrence. The investigation is independent, evidence-based, and comprehensive, and no inference regarding the cause of the occurrence should be drawn from any isolated piece of information while the investigation is in progress, the statement said.
Explaining the occurrence of the event, the statement said that an Air India Airbus A320 aircraft, registration VT-EXO, operating scheduled flight AI 2379 from Phuket to Delhi, experienced a sudden altitude variation of approximately 300 feet during cruise. The aircraft subsequently stabilised and landed safely at Delhi. During the occurrence, injuries were reported to 20 passengers and four cabin crew members.
The participation of the state of design and the state of manufacture in an aircraft incident of such nature is an established part of the international investigation framework prescribed under ICAO protocols.
Accordingly, the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile (BEA), France, as the investigation authority of the concerned state, along with technical representatives of Airbus, is extending the necessary technical assistance to AAIB, including provision of relevant technical information and design documentation, in accordance with the applicable ICAO framework, the statement added.
(IANS)
