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Air India speak out after report claims 'fatal error' caused crash which killed 260 people
More than a month after the deadly crash that killed 260 people, Air India has spoken after a preliminary report claimed a 'fatal error' from the pilots may have been responsible
Air India has broken its silence on the fatal Ahmedabad crash that killed 260 people.
Doomed flight AI171 had just taken off the ground in the Indian city, bound for London Gatwick, when it crashed to the ground just minutes later on June 12. In total, 241 people on board were killed, with another 19 being killed on the ground as it crashed.
Of all the people aboard the doomed flight, just one person - British man Vishwashkumar Ramesh - was able to emerge from the disaster with only minor injuries. He would later have to bury his own brother, who was sitting just yards away from him, in a heartbreaking ceremony as he was laid to rest.
Since then, the families of those killed in the tragedy have been desperate to hear from authorities in India about what could have caused the crash. Forensic investigators were able to retrieve both black boxes from the doomed Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to determine what could have been the cause of the accident.
Now, in a preliminary report released at 1:30am local time on Saturday morning (July 12), there have been claims to suggest one of the pilots could have made a fatal error. The report, which is not fully finalised, appears to suggest no mechanical issues with the plane but instead points the blame at the two pilots, who had been arguing before the plane went down.
In the report, according to the Mirror, investigators claim that one of the two pilots had seemingly pulled the engine's fuel supplies just seconds after it left the runway. When the co-pilot asked why the switches to the supply had been left in the "cut off" position, he argued that he had not turned them off.
The plane's captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, was believed to be the first pilot on the journey, with his co-pilot now being named as Clive Kunder. However, by the time both men had turned the switches to the fuel supply back on, it was too late, and the plane had already lost dangerous amounts of altitude.
Findings from the probe, which is being run by India's Aircraft Accident Investigations Bureau (AAIB) - together with the US' aviation branch the FAA, Boeing and the country's Transportation Safety Board - are now starting to be released to the public. The data was gathered from the black boxes, as they hold vital clues that can help point to the data from the plane at the time of the crash.
After being retrieved from the crash site, both boxes were immediately flown to the capital New Delhi to be processed earlier this week. A more in-depth preliminary report is expected to be released within "three months", according to India's civil aviation minister.
In the wake of the terrifying events in Ahmedabad, the government ordered a thorough inspection of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners in order to stop another potential disaster. In a statement, Air India said they sympathise with those who have lost loved ones in the tragic incident.
"Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident," the company said. "We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.
"We acknowledge receipt of the preliminary report released by the AAIB today, 12 July; Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators," the statement added. "We continue to fully co-operate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses."
Daily Star Sunday
More than a month after the deadly crash that killed 260 people, Air India has spoken after a preliminary report claimed a 'fatal error' from the pilots may have been responsible
Air India has broken its silence on the fatal Ahmedabad crash that killed 260 people.
Doomed flight AI171 had just taken off the ground in the Indian city, bound for London Gatwick, when it crashed to the ground just minutes later on June 12. In total, 241 people on board were killed, with another 19 being killed on the ground as it crashed.
Of all the people aboard the doomed flight, just one person - British man Vishwashkumar Ramesh - was able to emerge from the disaster with only minor injuries. He would later have to bury his own brother, who was sitting just yards away from him, in a heartbreaking ceremony as he was laid to rest.
Since then, the families of those killed in the tragedy have been desperate to hear from authorities in India about what could have caused the crash. Forensic investigators were able to retrieve both black boxes from the doomed Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to determine what could have been the cause of the accident.
Now, in a preliminary report released at 1:30am local time on Saturday morning (July 12), there have been claims to suggest one of the pilots could have made a fatal error. The report, which is not fully finalised, appears to suggest no mechanical issues with the plane but instead points the blame at the two pilots, who had been arguing before the plane went down.
In the report, according to the Mirror, investigators claim that one of the two pilots had seemingly pulled the engine's fuel supplies just seconds after it left the runway. When the co-pilot asked why the switches to the supply had been left in the "cut off" position, he argued that he had not turned them off.
The plane's captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, was believed to be the first pilot on the journey, with his co-pilot now being named as Clive Kunder. However, by the time both men had turned the switches to the fuel supply back on, it was too late, and the plane had already lost dangerous amounts of altitude.
Findings from the probe, which is being run by India's Aircraft Accident Investigations Bureau (AAIB) - together with the US' aviation branch the FAA, Boeing and the country's Transportation Safety Board - are now starting to be released to the public. The data was gathered from the black boxes, as they hold vital clues that can help point to the data from the plane at the time of the crash.
After being retrieved from the crash site, both boxes were immediately flown to the capital New Delhi to be processed earlier this week. A more in-depth preliminary report is expected to be released within "three months", according to India's civil aviation minister.
In the wake of the terrifying events in Ahmedabad, the government ordered a thorough inspection of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners in order to stop another potential disaster. In a statement, Air India said they sympathise with those who have lost loved ones in the tragic incident.
"Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident," the company said. "We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.
"We acknowledge receipt of the preliminary report released by the AAIB today, 12 July; Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators," the statement added. "We continue to fully co-operate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses."
Daily Star Sunday