New Delhi, July 21 (H.S.): Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu affirmed the impartiality of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Monday in the Rajya Sabha, stating that their procedures are rule-based and unbiased. In reference to the Ahmedabad aircraft accident investigation, he noted that the black box data has been decoded domestically, highlighting India's commitment to adhering to international protocols. The initial phase of the investigation is complete, with a preliminary report available, while awaiting the final report. Previously, damaged black boxes were sent to manufacturers for decoding, making this the first instance of domestic decoding.

Naidu assured that compensation for victims of the Ahmedabad incident has been fairly provided to passengers, local victims, and students from a nearby medical college who lost their lives. On operational capacity, he indicated that the fleet and passenger numbers have nearly doubled in the last decade. The Air India flight crash on June 12 resulted in 260 fatalities, with AAIB releasing the preliminary investigation report a month later.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar