Saudi to set up independent air crash investigation team

The new agency will be headquartered in Jeddah and will be financially and administratively independent, according GACA. The organisation’s board agreed the move at its board meeting earlier this week.

"The new entity will be responsible for investigating plane crashes and other related accidents in general and will enjoy total freedom. The statutes for the new body and its functions, which are on par with international regulations on air accidents, are in place," said Capt. Ibrahim Al-Kesshi, director general of the Aircraft Investigation Office, in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency.

He added that the preparations are now under way to man the office with technical hands and provide the necessary wherewithal to conduct investigations.

Kesshi said that the initiative to develop and entirely independent body came from GACA Chairman Prince Fahd bin Abdullah who is keen on ensuring total safety in the civil aviation sector.

Kesshi also reported that the Kingdom is to participate in the international meeting in Singapore organised by ICAO. It will be the first time that Saudi has been involved in the meeting which considers air navigation between countries, border crossing operations and regulations governing air accidents. Other participants at the meeting include the United States, France and Britain.