New Delhi [India], August 6 (ANI): Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha that there have been six engine shutdown incidents and three May Day calls reported from January to July 2025. Notably, one of these May Day calls was from the ill-fated Ahmedabad-London Gatwick flight that crashed on June 12, resulting in 260 fatalities. The other two May Day calls were reported by Air India Express and IndiGo.

Answering a question raised by MP Rajeev Shukla on August 5 (Tuesday), the Union Minister mentioned that from January to July 2025, there were six incidents of engine shutdown and three incidents of May Day calls. The breakdown of these incidents is as follows: Indigo had two engine shutdown incidents and 1 May Day call, Spice Jet had two engine shutdown incidents, Air India had one engine shutdown incident and 1 May Day call (related to the recent AI-171 accident), Air India Express had 1 May Day call, and Alliance Air had one engine shutdown incident.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has a structured surveillance and audit framework in place to monitor and regulate airlines, including regular audits and inspections. If any violations are found, DGCA takes enforcement action as per its policy, the union minister said in his reply.Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla had asked the Union MoS whether the government has a record of mid-flight engine failures, and may day calls. Additionally, he had asked if any measures were taken to avoid such incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, on July 26, Air India released Rs 25 lakh in interim compensation payments to the families of 147 of the 229 passengers who lost their lives in the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 on June 12, including to the families of 19 who were killed at the accident site.

The interim payment of Rs 25 lakh per family was initiated over a month ago to support the immediate financial needs of the bereaved. These payments will be adjusted against the final compensation to be determined later.

In a statement, Air India reaffirmed its commitment to the victims and their loved ones: 'Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn their loss and remain fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.'

Additionally, the airline noted that documentation for 52 more families has been verified, with interim compensation to be disbursed to them progressively.

The Tata Group has also registered 'The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust', dedicated to the victims of the unfortunate accident. The Trust has pledged an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore in respect of each of the deceased, and support for rebuilding the B.J. Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the accident, as per the statement. (ANI)