India has a ‘robust’ safety monitoring mechanism, no need for alarm, says Praful Patel

Praful Patel. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, during whose tenure the decision to induct Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft into the then state-owned Air India was taken, said these aircraft are the “workhorses” of long-haul flights and only a detailed inquiry can shed light on the cause of the Ahmedabad plane crash.

Mr. Patel said India has a “robust” safety monitoring mechanism and there is no reason for any alarm.

“Look, 787 Dreamliners are really fine aircraft and there are thousands of them flying all over the world. These are really the workhorses of long haul flights,” Mr. Patel told The Hindu.

He pointed out that the aircraft involved in the Ahmedabad crash was about 11 years old and had done thousands of flights, including a Delhi-Ahmedabad flight before it took off on a fateful flight for London.

“The pilots were also experienced. So, what could have gone wrong is something only a detailed inquiry can tell us,” Mr. Patel said.

The Ahmedabad crash has not only put the spotlight on flight safety but also on aircraft types as several Boeing models, including the Dreamliner.

“Let me tell you that we have good safety oversight system in the DGCA [Directorate General of Civil Aviation] and there shouldn’t be any speculation,” Mr. Patel said, adding, “This accident could have happened anywhere in the world. There is a no reason for alarm in terms of safety here.”

Published - June 12, 2025 08:34 pm IST