AAIG chief goes to Nepal with information on US-Bangla aircraft, pilot

Captain Salauddin M Rahmatullah, chief of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Group of Bangladesh (AAIG-BD), has gone to Nepal to join a formal investigation on the US-Bangla plane crash. Salauddin left Dhaka for Nepal around 11pm on Sunday. Before leaving, Salauddin said: "I am going to Nepal today. We are prioritizing on investigating the [plane’s] black box. Essential information will be gathered after reviewing the last communications from the cockpit.” According to sources, Nepal wanted all the information related to the US-Bangla aircraft, its pilot and co-pilot. Captain Salahuddin is going to Nepal in this regard. Civil Aviation sources said Nepal already sought information related to the purchase and repair of the aircraft, the pilot’s logbook and license, and the document on the co-pilot’s permission to fly. A meeting was held Saturday morning to discuss the investigation of the crash at the Civil Aviation Authority's headquarters. Captain Salahuddin along with the Director of Civil Aviation Authority (Flight Safety and Regulations) Wing Commander Chowdhury M Ziaul Kabir and other AAIG members were present during the meeting. Salauddin said: "Nepal has sought information needed to carry out the investigation. I am going to Nepal with that information.” On March 12, 49 people – including 26 Bangladeshis – were killed in the US-Bangla Airlines plane crash at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal.This article was first published on banglatribune.com