Pilot groups question probe ahead of Air India crash anniversary

INDIA's aviation accident investigation agency is facing renewed criticism from pilot groups ahead of the first anniversary of the 2025 Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people.

Families of the victims had expected a final report by Friday explaining the cause of the disaster, exactly one year after the Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after takeoff and hit a medical college.

However, with investigations still continuing, local media reports suggest India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to issue only an interim report, leaving families and pilot groups waiting for answers.

"I don't have much trust," said Charanvir Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), which has more than 5,000 members.

"I will be very honest; they are not transparent at all," Randhawa told AFP.

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His organisation has criticised the composition of the initial investigation team and its decision to question the family of one of the deceased pilots.

'Path toward answers'

On Friday, relatives of the victims will gather in Ahmedabad for a conference organised by lawyers along with aviation and air safety experts to "discuss the path toward answers and safer skies".

A candlelight vigil is also planned in memory of those who died — 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground.

Among those killed were 200 Indians, 52 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian.

The only survivor was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who told the Press Association news agency that he continued to "live with the significant psychological scars" following the crash, in which his brother died, and "the constant unanswered questions" about why it happened.

"Those questions are not just on my mind -- they are on the minds of every affected family," he said.

"Nothing will ever change what happened, but families deserve clarity."

As required under international law, the AAIB released a preliminary report on July 12, 2025, one month after the crash.

The 15-page report said fuel supply to the aircraft's engines was cut off moments before impact, raising questions about possible pilot error.

'Flawed' report

The report also included a conversation between the captain and co-pilot about the fuel supply being cut off. The two brief sentences led to theories of pilot suicide.

The findings drew criticism because the report did not explain why the fuel switches were turned off or whether the action resulted from pilot error or a malfunction.

Pushkaraj Sabharwal, 91, father of pilot Sumeet Sabharwal, described the report as "profoundly flawed" and filed a petition in India's Supreme Court.

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He argued it focused on the dead pilots "while failing to examine or eliminate other more plausible technical and procedural causes of the crash".

Randhawa said another inconclusive report could lead to "far more speculations" instead of helping people understand what happened.

"You have to give an indication. Why did the crash occur?"

In May, the FIP submitted a letter to the aviation ministry calling for further investigation to rule out electrical failure.

"Even if they are going to take more than one year, they should say: 'We are still investigating'," he said.

"They should publish the full investigation report."

(With inputs from agencies)