One Year Later, AI-171 Probe Still Leaves Families Waiting
AHMEDABAD — A year after the crash of Air India flight AI-171, a lawyer representing more than 135 affected families said an interim statement released by investigators offered no new information about the cause of the disaster that killed 260 people.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on June 13 issued an interim statement marking the first anniversary of the crash involving the Boeing 787-8 operating from Ahmedabad to London.
The agency said significant progress had been made in examining aircraft systems, flight recorder data, engine-related components, maintenance records and operational evidence, while additional technical evaluations and specialist examinations remain underway.
The bureau said the final report would be released only after all investigative activities, international reviews and consultation processes required under ICAO Annex 13 are completed.
Reacting to the update, aviation lawyer Mike Andrews of the U.S.-based Beasley Allen Law Firm, who represents more than 135 affected families, said the statement provided no new insight into what caused the crash.
“The interim statement that was released Friday did not contain any new technical or factual information. The statement indicates that the AAIB investigation is continuing with technical evaluation and analysis. While we wait for the board to release the results of its findings, we continue to push forward with our own research and evaluation,” Andrews said.
The AI-171 disaster occurred on June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft, operating a scheduled flight to London Gatwick, crashed less than a minute after departure.
Of the 242 people on board, 241 died. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed, taking the total death toll to 260.
A preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in July 2025 found that both engine fuel control switches moved from the “RUN” position to “CUTOFF” shortly after takeoff, resulting in a loss of fuel supply to both engines.
The report documented confusion in the cockpit following the event but did not determine how or why the switches moved, leaving investigators to continue examining technical, operational and human factors related to the crash.
Although the final report had been expected around the first anniversary of the accident, investigators said additional analysis, including examination of engine-related evidence, remains unfinished. (IANS)
