Pilot Groups Criticize Air India Crash Probe Amid Anniversary

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is facing renewed criticism from pilot groups as it prepares for the anniversary of the 2025 Air India Boeing-787 crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives. The families of the victims had anticipated a final report by Friday to elucidate the cause of this disaster – exactly one year since the Boeing 787-8 crashed in a fireball shortly after takeoff and collided with a medical college.

However, as investigations continue, local media suggest that AAIB will only release an interim report, disappointing those seeking definitive answers about why their loved ones perished. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), led by Charanvir Randhawa, has expressed significant distrust in the bureau’s transparency and criticized its initial investigation team’s composition, including questioning a family member of one deceased pilot.

On Friday, relatives will convene in Ahmedabad for a conference organized by lawyers and experts to discuss progress towards answers and safer skies. They also plan a candlelight vigil honoring those who died – 241 passengers and 19 on the ground, comprising 200 Indians, 52 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

The only survivor, Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, shared with the Press Association news agency that he continues to grapple with significant psychological scars following his brother’s death and the 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.”

The AAIB published a preliminary report on July 12, 2025, in compliance with international law, which detailed that fuel supply to the jet’s engines was cut off moments before impact. This sparked theories about possible pilot error and included a conversation between the captain and his co-pilot about the fuel supply being cut off.

This report faced strong criticism from Randhawa and others for not explaining why the fuel switches were turned off – whether it was due to pilot fault or a malfunction. In May, the FIP submitted a letter to the aviation ministry requesting further investigation into electrical failure as another possible cause of the crash, emphasizing that even if taking more than one year, the government should publish the full report.