As investigators released the preliminary report into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI171, families of the 260 victims say it brings little clarity or comfort.
While officials focused on data and procedures, bereaved relatives feel their grief and unanswered questions have been pushed aside. For many, the report reads as a technical summary that fails to capture the depth of loss and pain they continue to endure.
Across the country, families are voicing frustration over the investigation’s pace and transparency.
Some worry that premature conclusions are being drawn about pilot error without a thorough and impartial review, while others feel completely excluded from the process. “They talk about systems. We’re still talking to empty chairs,” said the son of one passenger, capturing a growing sense of disconnection.
The tragedy of AI171 is not just an aviation incident—it is a profound human crisis. As the inquiry moves forward, the challenge lies not only in uncovering the facts but in honouring the lives lost, acknowledging the families' pain, and restoring public trust through transparency and compassion.
Switches set to 'cut-off': Cockpit clues and unanswered questions
The report ruled out any mechanical malfunction, maintenance lapse, or fuel contamination. Experts also noted that the cut-off switches are protected by safety guards, making accidental activation highly unlikely. The aircraft’s black box showed no systemic errors, intensifying the investigation’s focus on cockpit decisions.
The preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the Air India Flight 171 crash reveals that both engine fuel cut-off switches were manually moved from ‘run’ to ‘cut-off’ within a second of each other during take-off, causing the engines to lose power. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” with the other denying responsibility, though the report does not identify who said what. Approximately 10–14 seconds later, both switches were turned back to ‘run’, initiating an automatic restart, one engine began to regain thrust while the other relit but failed to recover in time. The report rules out weather, bird strike, configuration error, weight imbalance, fuel contamination, and pre-existing engine issues as causes. However, it stops short of explaining why or how the switches were moved, leaving crucial questions unanswered.
Investigators are now reviewing Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s medical and mental health records as well. Though he passed a Class I medical exam as recently as September 2024, several colleagues have reported that he had experienced episodes of depression and emotional strain following his mother’s death in 2022. His complete medical history has been handed over to the investigative team, even as Air India and its parent company, Tata Group, maintain that no anomalies were found in his fitness records. Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, has cautioned against premature speculation and emphasised the need for a thorough investigation. Meanwhile, pilot unions have voiced concern over an early bias towards pilot error, demanding a broader, transparent inquiry that includes all possible causes ranging from human error to sabotage or suicide.
A prominent global pilots' organisation has issued a strong caution against drawing "hasty conclusions." The international body emphasised that accident investigations are inherently complex, demanding meticulous analysis of all available evidence, including flight recorders and wreckage. They underscored the critical importance of a thorough, fact-driven inquiry to ascertain the definitive causes of the tragedy.
Grief beyond the black box: Families seek truth, not theories
Beyond the technical findings, the emotional fallout continues to devastate families. Every seat on Flight AI171 held a story, a student returning home, an elderly couple en route to a pilgrimage, a father heading back to his daughter. The lone survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, now under psychiatric care, reportedly suffers from deep trauma. “He’s alive, but not living,” a relative shared.
Talking with Asian Voice, Praful Patel, a friend and business partner of crash victim Panna Nagar remembered the horrible time he had as he visited both the crash scene and the Civil hospital. Panna and Praful used to work together to help poor children completely free of charge. He talks about the Civil hospital visit stating “when we reached the civil hospital Ahmedabad, we realised that not a single person survived. One person survived out of 241, but it was a sheer luck”. He adds “So many people in the civil hospital. There was just kind of 1000s and 1000s of people wanting to find out what happened”. Praful along with Panna’s family who came to India for giving DNA test visited the site and states, “It was completely black out, black buildings and all the trees burnt out, all the pieces of heat, of metal and everything. We couldn't believe that the bodies were dismembered”. Praful says that even if they find a solution, they cannot bring the lost lives back. He also appreciates the service provided by Air India to the families of victims.
Sameer Rafik, cousin of crash victim Faizan Rafik from Leicester, expressed his frustration and grief in an interview with the BBC following the release of the preliminary report. "I've just read the report and it doesn't make any sense to me," he said, questioning the lack of clarity in the findings. He urged the Indian government to release the cockpit voice recordings to the families of the victims, stating that only by hearing what happened in the final moments could they begin to understand the truth. "If they want to release the audio to family members only, I will be more than happy to fly to India and listen to it. I will go straight away," he said. "I lost my loved one. I know what my family are feeling, and no one will understand my pain."
For grieving families, closure remains elusive. Ayushi Christian, whose husband Lawrence died in the crash, passionately called for justice, telling the BBC that "'Action should be taken against those responsible.'"
The cousin of crew member Lamnunthem Singson conveyed that their family was "'trying to make sense of our loss,'" grappling with whether knowing the crash's reason would alter their grief.
Badasab Syed, who lost his brother, sister-in-law, and their two children, expressed being left with "'more questions than answers'" by the report. For Shweta Parihar, who lost her husband Abhinav, the ongoing investigation offered "'little comfort,'" as she tragically told, "'What is the point of the investigation now? We are finished.'"
Rafiq Dawood, whose 25-year-old son Faizan perished, articulated, "'We don't have words to describe our pain,'" adding, "'We don't know about the fuel switch or other technical details. The fact is that we have lost our son.'"
A relative of Saiyed Javed Ali, who died with his wife and two children, lamented, "'Our hopes have been shattered,'" and called on the Indian government, stating, "Proper investigation should be done to find what caused the crash".
Legal experts in India and the UK have been approached by relatives seeking accountability. “They want answers, not assumptions,” said an aviation legal counsel involved in the case. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirms receipt of the Air India crash preliminary report. While the NTSB leads the US investigation, the FAA is actively supporting its work and collaborating with international partners. The agency's paramount priority is to follow the facts where they lead, committing to promptly address any identified risks throughout the ongoing process.
—----------—---------
Air India adjusts UK routes in phased rollout
After the preliminary report on the Air India AI171 accident on June 12, 2025, the airline has announced a phased restoration of its international flight schedules, which were scaled back during a "Safety Pause" to allow for additional Boeing 787 inspections and to accommodate longer flying times due to airspace closures. Partial resumption begins on August 1, with full restoration targeted by October 1. Between August 1 and September 30, Air India will operate three weekly flights between Ahmedabad and London Heathrow, replacing the current five-weekly service to Gatwick. Delhi-Heathrow flights have already been fully restored to 24 weekly services from July 16, while Bengaluru-Heathrow will reduce from six to four weekly flights starting August 1. Amritsar-Birmingham will remain at two weekly services until August 31 before returning to three in September, while Delhi-Birmingham continues at two weekly flights. The Amritsar-London Gatwick route (AI169/170) remains suspended until September 30. Other international routes, including those to Amsterdam and Sydney, have also undergone schedule adjustments. Air India acknowledges the removal of some previously planned services between August and September and is contacting affected passengers with options for rebooking or full refunds. Once the restoration is complete, the airline will operate over 525 international flights weekly across 63 routes.
