One of the engines of the Air India plane that crashed last week was new, while the other was not due for servicing until December, the airline’s chairman has said.

In an interview with an Indian news channel, N Chandrasekaran said that both engines of the aircraft had “clean” histories.

“The right engine was a new engine put in March 2025. The left engine was last serviced in 2023 and due for its next maintenance check in December 2025,” he told Times Now channel.

At least 270 people, most of them passengers, were killed last Thursday when AI171, a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed less than a minute after taking off from Ahmedabad airport in western India.

N Chandrasekaran is also the chairperson of Tata Sons, the conglomerate that owns Air India

While the investigation continues, Air India has also announced a 15% cut in its international operations on wide-body aircraft until mid-July as it grapples with the fallout from the crash.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the airline said the decision was driven by “compounding circumstances” – including enhanced safety checks, increased caution by crew and ground staff and tensions in the Middle East.

Separately, the airline said that inspections have been completed on 26 of its 33 Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft, all of which have been “cleared for service”.

India’s aviation regulator had ordered additional safety checks on Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet after the deadly crash as a “preventive measure”.

The remaining aircraft are expected to be examined in the coming days, Air India said, adding that the airline’s Boeing 777 fleet would also “undertake enhanced safety checks”.

“The curtailments are a painful measure to take, but are necessary following a devastating event which we are still working through and an unusual combination of external events,” it said.

Meanwhile some experts say the crash will likely have an impact on Air India as it tries to transform from a troubled state-owned carrier to a privately-owned company.

Tata Sons, a conglomerate which also owns big brands like Tetley Tea and Jaguar Land Rover, bought the airline – formerly India’s national carrier – from the Indian government in 2022.

(BBC)

A Committee comprising government officials and experts has been appointed under the leadership of Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake to seek and implement sustainable solutions for managing and controlling the damages caused by wild animals to food production (Agriculture and Plantation sectors) through a scientific approach. The Committee held its first meeting on Thursday (19) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The main objective of the Committee is to conduct a scientific study on the agricultural damage caused by wild animals and to implement short, medium and long-term action plans. In addition to drafting national policies and legislation, the Committee will also coordinate the provision of necessary human, physical and financial resources.

It was emphasised during the meeting that decisions should be made by recognizing wildlife as a part of the natural ecosystem. It was also noted that any solution must acknowledge the right of wild animals to their natural habitats. The need to implement a rapid action programme for high-risk districts was also discussed.

Prof. Ashoka Dangolla from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Peradeniya shared his views, highlighting that based on research conducted over more than 15 years on Toque macaque; it is possible to arrive at successful solutions through a scientific approach. He also pointed out that various methods can be used to control animal populations.

Director General of Wildlife Conservation, M.S.L.R.C. Marasinghe, stated that a multi-pronged approach is necessary to address this issue. He emphasised the importance of animal censuses to obtain standard data on animal densities and underscored that the matter must be approached scientifically, beyond social perceptions.

It was also decided that gathering inputs from all stakeholders including academics, environmentalists, wildlife specialists, officials and members of the public affected by wildlife conflict is essential.

Among those present were Senior Additional Secretary to the President  Kapila Janaka Bandara, Ministry Secretaries including Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Ravi Seneviratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration  S. Aloka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation  D.P. Wickramasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure  Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration Ms. Ayesha Jinasena, public officials including Director General of Department of Wildlife Conservation, defence sector officers, university professors and the members of the Committee.