Air India CEO Campbell Wilson issues third statement in 48 hours after plane crash: ‘Our teams working closely…'

Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson on Saturday released his third statement after the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, and said that their teams are working closely with the families and authorities to help the reunification process.

In a video statement, Campbell announced that Air India will make an interim payment of ₹25 lakh to each of the deceased's families and to the survivor, in addition to ₹1 crore already announced by Tata Sons.

He further stated that over 200 trained caregivers are in Ahmedabad, and each family has been assigned dedicated assistance.

The Air India CEO also mentioned that the airliner is in the process of completing a precautionary safety check of Boeing 787 aircraft, as directed by the DGCA. He assured Air India would complete all checks within the timelines prescribed by the DGCA.

Full statement by Campbell Wilson:

Good evening.

Yesterday I shared that Air India's technical and customer support team had assembled in Ahmedabad. Over 200 trained caregivers are now in place, with each family assigned dedicated assistance, along with access to counselling and other services. We will continue to help and support the families however, we can.

I also updated on my visit to Ahmedabad, where I visited the crash site and met with some of the families of the deceased. This followed a visit, a day earlier, by Tata Sons and Air India Chairman, Mr. N. Chandrasekaran and other members of the Air India management team are now in the city and will remain present for as long as it takes.

To provide immediate financial support, Air India will be making an interim payment of 25 lakh rupees, or approximately 21,000 GBP to each of the families of the deceased and also to the survivor. This is in addition to the 1 crore rupees, or approximately 85,000 GBP already committed by Tata Sons.

The process of reuniting next of kin with their loved ones and personal effects has begun. Our teams are working closely with the families and authorities to help the reunification process, and where appropriate, with repatriation. This is an emotional process and we ask that families be given space.

Air India is also in the process of completing precautionary safety checks on Boeing 787 aircraft, as directed by our regulator, the DGCA. We will complete all checks within the timelines prescribed by the regulator. As has been confirmed by the authorities, the aircraft's data recorder has been recovered, which will form part of the official investigation, and Air India continues to fully cooperate with these investigations.

At this juncture, I also wish to acknowledge the work done by first responders and those from many organisations since the accident, and also to our crew, who continue to operate with professionalism and with safety always as their primary responsibility.

Thank you.

Death toll:

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Air India plane AI-717 crash reached 270 on Saturday, amid the Centre setting up a high-level multi-disciplinary panel headed by the Union Home Secretary to examine the causes that led to the disaster.

According to PTI report, 241 out of 242 passengers and crew on board AI171 and another 29 persons including five MBBS students on the ground were killed on Thursday soon after crash.

"Around 270 bodies have been brought to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital so far from the plane crash site," President of Junior Doctors association of BJ Medical College, Dr Dhaval Gameti, told PTI.

With agency inputs.