How AAIB is failing its biggest test yet
Crash. Silence. Confusion. How India's air accident watchdog is failing its biggest test yet Nearly two weeks after the devastating Air India flight AI171 crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has remained quiet. There have been no preliminary findings and no interim reports. In this silence, theories and speculation grow. Oil, war, and the Hormuz gambit: Why the 2025 standoff won't mirror the 2022 shock! Despite a dramatic price
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News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Air India Crash: Sabotage Angle Not Ruled Out, Probe Report In 3 Months, Says Union Minister
Last Updated: Speaking on the cause of the crash, the minister called it a 'rare case,' referring to reports that both engines had failed simultaneously. A possible sabotage is among the key angles being examined in the Air India plane crash that killed 274 people in Ahmedabad last month, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said on Sunday. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading a thorough probe into the crash of flight AI 171, with all potential causes under scrutiny. 'It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage," Mohol was quoted as saying by NDTV. He added that CCTV footage is under review and multiple agencies are involved in the investigation. The crash occurred on June 12, when Air India's London-bound Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 (flight AI 171) plunged into a residential area just moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, lost altitude shortly after takeoff at around 1:30 PM, crashing into the BJ Medical College residential quarters in Meghaninagar and bursting into flames. Only one person survived, while nine individuals on the ground also lost their lives. A distress 'Mayday' call was issued by the pilot soon after takeoff, according to air traffic control officials. 'Rare Case, Probe Report In 3 Months' Speaking on the cause of the crash, Mohol called it a 'rare case," referring to reports that both engines had failed simultaneously. 'It has never happened that both engines shut down together," he said, noting that the black box, which includes the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR), will provide crucial answers. 'Once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem, fuel supply issue, or something else. It is too early to say anything definitively, but everything will come out. The report is expected within three months," he added. Rejecting reports that the black box would be sent abroad for analysis, Mohol clarified that it remains in the custody of the AAIB. 'It will not go anywhere. We will conduct the entire investigation here," he said. In response to safety concerns post-crash, the aviation minister reassured the public, stating that all 33 Boeing Dreamliners in Air India's fleet have undergone inspection by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). 'Everything was found safe. People are no longer scared and are travelling comfortably," he said. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: June 29, 2025, 15:50 IST
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Possible sabotage' under investigation in Air India plane crash: Report
As the investigation into the Air India plane crash continues, minister of state (MoS) for civil aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, has stated that 'possible sabotage' is one of the angles being examined. The civil aviation minister's remarks come after the AAIB started its probe and analysis into the black box data of Air India flight 171. Doctors on Saturday said around 270 bodies have been brought to the hospital from the air crash site so far. (PTI) Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 out of 242 people onboard. The incident also marked the first fatal accident of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), India's top agency for aviation crash investigations, is leading the probe. Officials had earlier said that the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR)—also known as black boxes—were recovered from the site and sent to Delhi for analysis. 'The AAIB has begun a full investigation into it... It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage. The CCTV footage are being reviewed and all angles are being assessed... several agencies are working on it,' NDTV quoted Murlidhar Mohol as saying at an event in Pune. Also Read | HT explains: How compensation is determined for air crash victims The AAIB has formed a multidisciplinary investigation team on June 13. The team includes Indian and foreign experts—technical personnel, a specialist in aviation medicine, and an air traffic control officer—as per international rules set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The government said analysis of the black box data is ongoing. Investigators are trying to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash and identify what may have caused it. Also Read | What could have led to fatal Air India Ahmedabad crash: Possible scenarios as per experts What are other possible angles in Air India crash? Investigators are examining multiple possibilities behind the Air India Flight 171 crash, including a sudden power loss or engine failure, system malfunction, and human error. Experts say only a thorough analysis of black box data will confirm what caused the June 12 crash. 'A B787 aircraft has extremely powerful engines. It is hard to guess what went wrong. It looks like the pilot could not get adequate thrust and realised the issue immediately after take-off,' said aviation safety expert Amit Singh. Officials confirmed that a Mayday call was made by the pilots shortly after takeoff, pointing to an in-flight emergency. Also Read | Air India crash: Black box flown to Delhi, decoding process underway According to unnamed sources cited in a Reuters report, the probe is also looking at engine thrust, flap settings, and the unusual case of the landing gear staying extended. Maintenance records and crew actions are under review, while a bird-hit has been ruled out. The investigation team is also assessing airport surveillance footage, radio communication, and environmental conditions at the time of takeoff. Black box decoding underway According to the government, the process of data extraction from the black boxes was started on June 24 with a team of Indian and US experts, including members from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB. 'The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on 25 June 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB lab,' the civil aviation ministry said in a recent statement. Air India crash: Final death toll stands at 260, all victims identified The final death toll in the Air India Flight 171 crash has been confirmed at 260, Gujarat officials said on Saturday—lower than initial estimates of 270. The toll includes 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. 'The plane crash death toll stands at 260... All bodies have been recovered and identified, with the mortal remains of all of them handed over to their families,' Dhananjay Dwivedi, additional chief secretary of health and family welfare told HT.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: DNA profiling complete, final death toll stands at 260
The final death toll in the Air India Flight 171 crash stands at 260, officials in Gujarat said two weeks after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed immediately after taking-off from the city's airport. The death toll of 260 includes 241 passengers and crew aboard the plane and 19 people on the ground. The figure is lower than the earlier estimate of 270 deaths. Authorities had collected 318 bodies and body parts from the crash site which were sent for DNA testing. The state government has praised the quick identification through DNA testing, adding that it would have taken five to ten days to establish the identities of the individuals a couple of days ago. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Director of Forensic Science, HP Sanghvi, said in a statement released by the state government, "This incident was not just another case for FSL, but a matter of hope and emotion for countless families. That's why all FSL teams from Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot were immediately mobilized to Gandhinagar to expedite the DNA profiling process and ensure the swift handover of the victims' bodies to their families." Later on Saturday, state health minister Rushikesh Patel said, "A total of 260 deceased have been identified in the plane crash so far, including 254 through DNA tests and 6 through facial recognition, all of which have been handed over to their families." Live Events Among the 260 people, 181 are Indian citizens, seven have been identified as Portuguese, 52 are British nationals, one Canadian and 19 non-passengers. The Air India flight to London crashed soon after taking off on 12 June from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, destroying portions of a medical college building and bursting into flames. Among the victims were junior doctors, staff at the hospital complex and people on the street below. One passenger, walked out of the crash after he was thrown further away from the burning wreckage. The impact of the crash and the inferno that followed meant remains of most victims, except for most of the 19 casualties on the ground, were unrecognisable, requiring officials to seek DNA samples from family members to help make the identification. Among the 260 deaths, 254 victims were identified through DNA testing and the remaining through facial recognition. The DNA identification process, which typically takes months, was completed in approximately two weeks, experts said.
