New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) The Ministry of Civil Aviation informed Parliament on Monday that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is “transparently” conducting its investigation into the Air India Boeing crash at Ahmedabad airport on June 12 last year, and “all probable causes leading to the accident are being investigated.”
A preliminary investigation report was published by AAIB on July 12, 2025, and is available on its website at www.aaib.gov.in. The investigation is in progress, and the final report will be published upon completion, the ministry stated in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
The ministry added that “as per the ICAO Annex 13 requirements, the interim statement has been published by AAIB on June 12, 2026. The final investigation report will be published after completion of the investigation.”
As many as 260 people were killed when the AI-171 Boeing Dreamliner flight from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick on June 12 crashed within 35 seconds of taking off. While 241 people on board the Dreamliner lost their lives, 19 people were killed on the ground. One passenger on the plane had a miraculous escape.
The preliminary report released by AAIB on July 12 stated that both engines of the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust after the two fuel cut-off switches moved from the ‘RUN’ to the ‘CUTOFF’ position. However, the cockpit voice recorder revealed that one of the pilots told the other he had not turned off the fuel control switches. The switches were then returned to the RUN position just before the plane crashed.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu earlier said that the AAIB’s report on the Air India crash was based on preliminary findings, and urged against reaching any conclusions until the final report is released.
AAIB operates as an independent statutory body responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents and serious incidents within Indian airspace. It was established in July 2012 to comply with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, thereby separating independent safety investigations from the regulatory functions of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
–IANS
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