Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 14: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Gujarat State Branch has written to Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, appealing for financial assistance for medical students affected by the tragic Air India plane crash at BJ Medical College (BJMC) in Ahmedabad.
In a letter sent on Friday, the IMA acknowledged and appreciated Air India’s Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of deceased passengers and the company’s support for renovating the BJMC hostel damaged in the incident.
However, the association requested similar aid for the injured and deceased medical students present at the crash site, highlighting their role as future healthcare providers.
“These individuals were not only victims but also future pillars of our healthcare system,” the letter stated. “We earnestly request you to declare immediately similar help to the medical students injured or who have lost their lives.”
The appeal comes in the wake of the Air India Flight AI-171 crash on June 12, which claimed 241 lives out of 242 onboard, when the London-bound Boeing 787-8 crashed into a resident doctors’ hostel shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) arrived in Ahmedabad to begin their probe, while the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is preparing to send a team to assist in the investigation.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that a formal inquiry is underway. Additionally, the Indian government has formed a high-level multidisciplinary committee, chaired by the Union Home Secretary, to review the crash, assess current safety protocols, and recommend improved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for post-crash incident management.
The committee will access flight data, cockpit voice recordings, maintenance logs, ATC records, and witness testimonies, and is expected to submit its report within three months. It will not interfere with ongoing official investigations but will focus on developing comprehensive SOPs for crash prevention and response.