 "AI-171 probe in final stage, report being finalised under international rules: Ram Mohan Naidu")
The investigation into the June 2025 Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad has entered its final stage, with the final report expected to be released soon, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said.
Speaking on Tuesday, Naidu said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting the probe in accordance with international protocols, with the remaining steps being completed before the final report is issued.
The Minister’s statement comes as the investigation remains under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court, which is hearing petitions seeking an independent, court-monitored inquiry into the crash.
The Centre had earlier informed the court that the final draft report would be submitted in a sealed cover during the first week of October.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for October 13.
The court was informed in July that the AAIB’s investigation had made substantial progress.
The Union government also informed the bench that four simulation tests had been carried out in connection with an application filed by one of the petitioners.
The court decided to wait for the findings of the statutory investigation before determining whether any further inquiry was necessary.
The probe has taken longer due to its technical complexity and international scope.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said the investigation is being conducted under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, as amended, along with the standards and recommended practices prescribed under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The investigation has involved accredited representatives, technical advisers and subject matter experts from relevant organisations.
In an earlier update on the progress of the probe, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said the AAIB was following the prescribed international process and should not be rushed at the cost of completing all necessary steps.
"We are all waiting," he said, adding that the bureau wanted to follow the international protocol strictly.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on July 12, 2025, providing factual details about the accident.
According to the report, the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches moved from the ‘RUN’ position to ‘CUTOFF’ shortly after take-off, leading to a loss of engine thrust. However, the preliminary report did not establish the final cause of the crash.
Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025.
The aircraft was carrying 241 people, all of whom died in the crash. Another 19 people on the ground were killed, taking the total death toll to 260. One passenger survived.
The aircraft crashed in the Meghani Nagar area, hitting the doctors’ hostel at BJ Medical College.
The disaster prompted a wide-ranging investigation into the aircraft’s systems, flight data, operational circumstances and human factors.
The final AAIB report is expected to present investigators’ conclusions on the causes of the crash and the factors that contributed to the disaster.
With IANS inputs...
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