Mumbai crash: investigation starts, co-pilot has surgery

As authorities launched an inquiry into the event, the co-pilot of a private aircraft that seemed to crash land and slide off the runway under heavy rains at Mumbai airport on Thursday had surgery, individuals with knowledge of the situation said on Friday.

Seven of the eight occupants of a VSR Ventures-owned Learjet 45 aircraft VT-DBL that was traveling from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai airport when it went off the runway were hurt.

The investigation into the incident was started on Friday by a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

According to the sources, “the team, led by assistant director K Ramchandra, has started recording statements of the officials.”

Owner of VSR Ventures Rohit Singh said, “The AAIB team is in Mumbai, and we are assisting the investigations. We hope the co-pilot gets well quickly. We are covering everyone’s hospital bills. In the meanwhile, a separate inquiry has been launched by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The crash caused the private plane to split in half. The event did not result in any casualties.

According to one of the persons with knowledge of the situation, the team will interview the pilot, co-pilot, and others while also gathering evidence at the scene of the accident. Another individual with knowledge of the situation said that both runways at the Mumbai airport are completely functioning and that the airplane wreckage has been cleared.

Four of the wounded individuals were released from Criticare Asia Hospital in Andheri East on Friday. Neil Diwan, the co-pilot, was sent to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, where he had spinal surgery, according to persons familiar with the situation at the hospital.