NEW DELHI– The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has criticized certain international media outlets for what it called “selective and unverified reporting” on the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, warning that such coverage is “irresponsible and potentially damaging to the integrity of the investigation.”
The agency’s statement came in response to a report by The Wall Street Journal, which claimed that cockpit audio from the ill-fated Air India flight allegedly indicates the captain manually cut off fuel to the plane’s engines before the crash last month.
“It has come to our attention that some sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting,” the AAIB said in an official statement.
“Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing. We urge both the public and media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process,” the bureau added.
AAIB emphasized that it is still too early to determine the cause of the crash. “The investigation is not yet complete. The Final Investigation Report will provide the root causes and make appropriate safety recommendations,” the statement said.
Earlier in the day, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) submitted a letter to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, expressing concerns over the AAIB’s preliminary report. The pilot group argued that the report failed to adequately explore two plausible and previously documented technical scenarios, either of which could have caused an automatic shutdown of both engines on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the crash.
FIP called for the inclusion of more subject matter experts in the investigation, warning that the preliminary findings appeared to suggest pilot error without sufficient evidence or thorough consideration of known technical failure modes in similar aircraft.
Meanwhile, pilots’ association ALPA-India defended the flight crew, stating that the AI-171 crew did everything possible to safeguard the lives of passengers.
“The crew of AI-171 made every possible effort—until their very last breath—to protect the passengers onboard and minimize harm on the ground. They deserve respect, not unfounded character judgments,” ALPA-India said in a statement.
“We reiterate our call for a fact-based and respectful discourse,” the group added. (Source: IANS)
