Eleven of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners have undergone safety checks so far and a high-level committee has been formed to probe Thursday’s air crash in Ahmedabad, the airline and the civil aviation minister said on Saturday.

The directorate-general of civil aviation had on Friday directed Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its fleet of 26 Boeing 787-8 and 7 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with GEnx engines, including pre-departure inspections.

“Air India is in the process of completing the one-time safety checks directed by the Indian aviation regulator, DGCA. These checks are being carried out on the Boeing 787 fleet as they return to India, before being cleared for their next operations,” Air India said in a post on its X account.

It said checks on 11 Dreamliners had been completed.

The Dreamliner, feted for its advanced features, has come under scrutiny following the Ahmedabad crash, whose causes remain to be unravelled.

Civil aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu announced the formation of a high-level, multi-disciplinary panel under the chairmanship of the home secretary to probe the causes of the crash and suggest long-term
safety measures.

While several aviation sector and forensic agencies are already investigating the crash, Naidu said he felt that another committee with experts from other fields would help conduct a more holistic probe. The panel, which meets on Monday, is expected to hand in its report in three months.

It will assess the contributing factors to the crash, including possible mechanical failure, human error and issues relating to the weather and regulatory compliances.

The committee will also examine the existing standard operating procedures and suggest comprehensive guidelines, covering the best international practices, to prevent and handle future crashes.

Its members will include representatives, not below the rank of joint secretary, from the state and central governments.