• India's government orders urgent inspections of all Boeing 787 aircraft after a devastating crash.
• The Air India crash has resulted in at least 270 fatalities, making it the worst aviation disaster in a decade.
• Authorities are probing multiple factors, including engine performance and safety checks.
• Families await identification of victims as forensic teams use dental records for identification.
• Air India pledges immediate financial support to victims' families, alongside ongoing investigations.

India’s aviation regulator is conducting urgent inspections of all Boeing 787s operated by local carriers following the tragic Air India crash that resulted in at least 270 fatalities. The aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, announced that the government is investigating all possible causes of the disaster, including preliminary findings regarding engine performance and aircraft parameters, according to dawn, channelnewsasia, and scmp.

The aviation regulator has mandated additional maintenance checks on the Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft, focusing on various operational factors, including thrust parameters and electronic engine control tests. According to Naidu, there are currently 34 Boeing 787s in the Indian fleet, with eight already inspected and many more scheduled for urgent evaluations, as reported by dawn, channelnewsasia, and scmp.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route to Gatwick Airport when it began losing altitude shortly after takeoff, tragically crashing into a building. Only one of the 242 occupants survived, according to reports from dawn, channelnewsasia, and scmp.

Family members of the deceased have expressed deep distress as they await news about identification and the return of bodies. Many have been waiting outside hospitals in Ahmedabad, where forensic teams are using dental records to verify the identities of the victims. Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four relatives, stated, “We have lost our children ... we are not understanding anything,” reflecting the turmoil experienced by families dealing with their unimaginable losses, according to dawn, channelnewsasia, and scmp.

In response to the tragedy, Air India has announced an immediate interim payment of 2.5 million rupees (approximately $29,000) to the families of the victims, in addition to earlier amounts announced by the Tata Group. The process for reuniting families with their deceased loved ones is reportedly underway, although the long wait for identification has deeply affected the families involved, according to reports from dawn, channelnewsasia, and scmp.

The Indian government has also established a panel to investigate the crash, which is expected to release its findings within three months. Naidu emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing safety protocols following the incident, pledging that “we are going to improve every necessary thing that is going to come our way,” as noted by dawn, channelnewsasia, and scmp.