The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting the probe in a transparent manner, he told reporters at Dholera.
While the government is trying to ensure that the final report is released quickly, establishing the truth behind the crash remained its top priority, he said.
“It is in the final stages, so we are also trying to ensure that it comes out quickly. But more important than speed is that the truth comes out regarding why it happened and how it happened. AAIB, which is investigating the matter, is fully capable and is conducting the investigation in a transparent manner, and we believe that its final report will be coming out very soon,” the minister told reporters.
He was in Gujarat on Tuesday to inspect the under-construction Dholera airport, coming up nearly 100 km from Ahmedabad city.
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The minister’s remarks come days after families of nearly 30 victims wrote to him seeking regular updates on the investigation, independent simulator validation tests, and inclusion of an experienced Boeing 787 pilot in the probe team.They also sought a clear timeline for the release of the final investigation report.
The London-bound Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12 last year, killing 260 people — 241 passengers and crew members on board and 19 persons on the ground. One passenger survived the accident.
The AAIB released its preliminary investigation report in July last year, detailing the sequence of events leading to the crash but not assigning blame or identifying the final cause of the accident.
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On the first anniversary of the crash last month, the AAIB issued an interim statement saying significant progress had been made in analysing flight recorder data, aircraft systems, engine-related components, maintenance and operational records, and other evidence.