Nearly a year after Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, families of the victims are still waiting for definitive answers as the final investigation report remains pending.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College on June 12, 2025, minutes after departing Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The disaster claimed the lives of 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground, making it one of India's deadliest aviation accidents in recent decades. One passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) launched a formal probe a day after the crash, while the Centre constituted a high-level multidisciplinary committee to examine the causes of the tragedy and recommend aviation safety measures.
Within days, investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter from the crash site. Air India announced interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh for victims' families, while Tata Sons pledged Rs 1 crore to each affected family.
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The investigation took a significant turn on July 12, 2025, when the AAIB released a 15-page preliminary report. The report stated that moments after take-off, both engine fuel control switches moved from the "RUN" position to "CUTOFF" within a second of each other, cutting fuel supply to the engines and causing a catastrophic loss of thrust.
Following the findings, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered inspections of fuel control switches on Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft operating in India.
The crash also triggered legal challenges. Families of four victims filed a product-defect lawsuit against aircraft manufacturer Boeing and parts supplier Honeywell in September 2025. The Supreme Court subsequently heard petitions seeking an independent probe and greater disclosure of technical information related to the investigation.
In February this year, the apex court directed the AAIB to complete its investigation within three weeks. Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu later told Parliament that the final report would be released soon.
However, as the first anniversary of the tragedy approaches, the final findings are yet to be made public. Families seeking closure have sought permission to hold a candlelight vigil at the crash site, hoping the report will finally explain what led to the catastrophe.
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