The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of Investigation (AAIB) on Tuesday submitted its preliminary inquiry report to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the officials concerned on the Air India flight AI-171 accident in Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025. Hindustan Times has reported this. The accident, in which 260 people died, was the most deadly aircraft accident in India for the last three decades.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel of Ahmedabad, 32 seconds of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight, flying to Gatwick Airport in London, B.J. The medical college and the hostel campus of the hospital had crashed. Out of 242 people aboard the aircraft, only one person, 40 -year -old British citizen Vishwas Ramesh, survived. Apart from 241 passengers and crew members in the accident, 19 people also died on the ground.
The initial report, which is likely to be of four to five pages, includes aircraft, crew, status of Ahmedabad Airport, and weather details on 12 June. It contains the possible causes of the accident, such as engine failure, fuel supply problem, or closure of both engines. The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder obtained from the black box is also being analyzed, in which the pilots released an “M-Day” emergency call soon after the takeoff, which said, “No Thrust, Me-Day, M-Day.”
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol said that the investigation is investigating all aspects, including the possibility of sabotage. Ground staff has been questioned, their phones have been seized, and CCTV footage of the airport is being reviewed. Investigations also investigate fuel contamination and mechanical failures, in which the 2020 Titan Airways A321 fuel contamination case is being studied.
According to the report, the data was extracted from the crash protection module till June 25, and it is being analyzed in the Aaib laboratory in New Delhi. The full investigation report is expected within three months, ie by September 2025,.
Meanwhile, an important meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) is scheduled on Tuesday, which will be present with the top officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, including the Secretary and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Accident and aviation security will be discussed in the meeting.
Those killed in the accident included 181 Indians, 52 British, seven Portuguese, and a Canadian citizens. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also among the victims. All bodies were identified through DNA testing and face identity, and were handed over to their families.
The families of the victims, especially in the United Kingdom, are planning to file a case against Air India and Boeing in the US and UK courts. The Tata Group, who owns Air India, has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for those killed on the ground.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed this tragedy as “heartbroken” and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu arrived in Ahmedabad to monitor relief work. The US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has also sent its team to assist in investigation.
