US probe body to help Air India crash investigation, team to visit India

A team of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a US probe agency, will be travelling to India to assist the country's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau with its investigation into the Air India commercial flight crash in Ahmedabad.

At least 242 people-230 passengers and 12 crew members, were on board the AI-171 flight which crashed five minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. Authorities said that there was a possibility that there may be no survivors in the incident.

Hours after the tragic incident, a government statement said that the NTSB will be assisting the probe into the reasons that may have led to the crash.

As per international protocols under the International Civil Aviation Organization's Annex 13, all information on the investigation will be provided to the NTSB by the Indian government.

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent US government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigations.

Also, the top US aviation body, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is in contact with the NTSB regarding the Ahmedabad plane crash. The Air India flight was headed to Gatwick Airport in London.

Notably, when an incident with international implications takes place, the concerned government leads the investigation. In the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official US representative and the FAA provides technical support. "We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB," a statement said.

The development came after local authorities said that at least 204 people were killed and 41 were injured in the incident.