NEW DELHI— The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday issued a sharp rebuke of what it called “selective and unverified reporting” by some international media outlets regarding last month’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The agency warned that such coverage is “irresponsible” and could compromise the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
The statement came in response to a report by The Wall Street Journal, which claimed that cockpit audio from the ill-fated Air India flight suggests the captain may have cut off fuel supply to the aircraft’s engines.
“It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting,” the AAIB said in a statement. “Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing. We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process.”
The AAIB emphasized that the investigation is still in progress, and no definitive conclusions have been reached. “The final investigation report will identify root causes and include safety recommendations,” the agency added.
Earlier in the day, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) expressed concerns in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, arguing that the AAIB’s preliminary report failed to adequately explore two well-documented technical scenarios that could have led to an automated dual-engine shutdown on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The FIP urged the ministry to include more subject matter experts in the investigation and criticized the preliminary report for seemingly pointing toward pilot error without sufficient evidence or consideration of known technical failure modes in similar aircraft.
Separately, ALPA-India, another pilots’ association, defended the actions of the crew aboard flight AI-171.
“The crew of AI-171 made every possible effort—until their very last breath—to protect the passengers on board and minimize harm on the ground,” ALPA-India said in a statement. “They deserve respect, not unfounded character judgments. We reiterate our call for a fact-based and respectful discourse.” (Source: IANS)
