Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 13: The term of the Court of Inquiry set up to go into the aspects leading to the Air India Express air crash at the local airport on May 22 this year, has been extended by a month. The report should have been submitted by the inquiry committee by August 31, and it had sought a month’s extension till September 30, which has since been permitted.

The extension was sought, as the committee is yet to receive the medical examination report on the pilot, blood test report on the aircraft’s crew, and report on the remnants recovered at the spot of the crash. The committee cannot complete its report unless these details are received by it. Moreover, it is yet to hold the mandatory second public hearing, which is expected to be held during the first week of September in the city.

Sources however, said that the committee might not be able to submit its report even by the September 30 deadline. It may take two to three months more to complete its report, they added.

In the meanwhile, in reply to questions raised by MPs, Nalin Kumar Kateel, and D V Sadanand Gowda, the union government has said that it has been decided to equip the local airport with new ATC Automation System, in addition to the MSSR N-Route Radar already provided to it. In its reply, the aviation ministry said that the airport here has approach lighting system for only 420 metres as against the standard 900 metres, but stressed that this conforms to the norms of the International Civil Aviation Organization.