Investigators probing the Air India crash that claimed 250 lives last year, say they are not yet ready to release their final report, despite significant progress in the investigation.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau issued an update on Friday, marking one year since the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, while en route to London.
The aircraft went down about six kilometres from the airport, crashing into a doctors' accommodation building at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College and Civil Hospital before exploding.
The disaster killed 241 passengers and crew members, along with 19 people on the ground.
One passenger, Viswashkumar Ramesh from Leicester, survived.
The Bureau says all findings are being reviewed comprehensively before the final report is completed and subjected to international review and consultation processes.
A preliminary report released in July last year found that fuel-control switches moved to the “cut-off” position seconds after take-off, causing both engines to lose power.
Cockpit recordings reportedly captured one pilot asking the other why he had done it, with the second pilot denying responsibility.
Subsequent media reports suggested investigators were focusing attention on senior pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal.
However, pilots' associations strongly rejected claims that the captain was responsible for the crash and criticised speculation surrounding the investigation.
Captain Sabharwal’s father, Pushkar Raj, has also defended his son, saying pilots are often unfairly blamed after aviation disasters and that his son is no longer alive to defend himself.
The AAIB stressed that the purpose of the investigation is to improve aviation safety by identifying lessons and making recommendations, not to assign blame or liability.
Source: BBC
