Full Breakdown
One Year After Air India Flight AI-171 Crash: Families Still Await Answers
6/13/2026, 2:04:03 AM
The Crash and Its Toll
On 12 June 2025, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The aircraft struck the hostel block of B.J. Medical College, killing 241 passengers and crew and 19 people on the ground, for a total of 260 fatalities. One passenger, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived. The victims included 169 Indian nationals, 52 British nationals, and passengers from Portugal, Canada and other countries. 67 people were injured on the ground.
Investigation Progress and Official Updates
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) says it has made “significant progress” analysing aircraft systems, flight-recorder data, engine components, maintenance and operational records, but no final report is scheduled. The AAIB reiterated that a final report will be issued only after all investigative work and required international reviews are completed, in line with ICAO rules that mandate an interim update on each anniversary if the final report is delayed. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed condolences and affirmed that the investigation is proceeding “with diligence and professionalism.” Air India confirmed that interim compensation of INR25 lakh (~£21 000) has been paid to 96 percent of the families of the deceased and that a INR1 crore ex-gratia payment has been provided to 91 percent of the families through the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust.
Families’ Demands and Criticism
Families gathered in Ahmedabad for prayer meetings, candlelight vigils and a lawyers-organised conference, pressing for a definitive cause. Tanay Gajjar, who lost his mother, said, “It’s been 365 days since the incident. The government should have been able to tell us the root cause of the crash.” The Federation of Indian Pilots, led by President C.S. Randhawa, warned that an interim report could fuel speculation and urged the AAIB to withhold such a release until the investigation is complete. Nilesh Joshi, whose wife died, asked, “Why are authorities taking so much time to assess the crash?”
On-the-Ground Remembrances
Relatives placed framed photographs, rose petals and candles at the crash site. Akash Purohit’s mother Nitaben Purohit lamented, “What happened that day? Why does no one know even after one year?” Sagar Patel recalled, “We’ve lost literally the heart of the family.” Vijay Sengal, a sanitation inspector, said, “We believe in gods and also in souls… maybe they still have work left unfinished.”
Conflicting Findings and Unresolved Questions
The AAIB’s 15-page preliminary report (July 2025) recorded that both engine-fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUT-OFF” almost simultaneously, cutting fuel supply. It also published a brief cockpit exchange in which one pilot asked the other why the fuel was cut; the other denied doing so. The report stopped short of assigning blame, leaving open whether the switch movement was intentional, accidental, or caused by an electrical fault. Retired Captain Richard Levy argued the switches require deliberate action, while former pilot Marco Chan cautioned that an electrical or systems failure could have triggered an inadvertent switch movement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “What happened that day? Why does no one know even after one year?” — Nitaben Purohit, mother
- “It’s been 365 days since the incident. The government should have been able to tell us the root cause of the crash,” — Tanay Gajjar, son of a victim
- “How can you blame him?” — Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal
- “I live with the significant psychological scars, the loss of my brother, and the constant unanswered questions around how and why this happened,” — Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, sole survivor
- “The preliminary report has created more confusion rather than clarity,” — J.S. Rawat, former Joint Director General, DGCA
What’s Next
Sources indicate the AAIB expects to complete engine-management analysis within the next three months, after which a final report may be released. Families and pilots’ unions have called for an interim statement that details progress without speculation. Legal actions by survivors and relatives are proceeding in the UK and US, awaiting the investigation’s conclusions to determine liability and safety recommendations.
