Ahmedabad Air India Crash: 3 senior officials removed

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has removed three senior Air India officials, including a divisional vice president, in connection with the Ahmedabad plane crash that claimed 290 lives. The officials were responsible for aircraft operations and crew scheduling, reports NDTV.

The move follows an internal audit of Air India’s Integrated Operations Control Center (IOCC), which revealed serious violations of flight duty time limitations. The audit found that on May 16 and 17, flight crew on two Air India flights from Bengaluru to London’s Heathrow Airport exceeded the maximum allowed flight duty time of 10 hours — a direct violation of the Civil Aviation Rules, 2019.

The DGCA stated that these were regular scheduled international flights, not emergency operations, and there was no justification for breaching duty time limits. The aviation regulator has directed internal disciplinary action against the officials and warned that any delay in implementing the order could lead to the suspension of Air India's operating license.

A show cause notice has been issued to Air India’s accountable manager, who must respond within seven days.

The action comes in the wake of the June 12 crash of an Air India flight en route to London from Ahmedabad. The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 290 people, including passengers and others on the ground. Only one passenger out of 242 on board survived. The plane also struck a local medical college hostel during the crash.

A joint investigation involving Indian, UK, and US aviation authorities is currently underway.