A day after the Supreme Court asked the Center to file a brief on the “procedural protocol” followed so far after being informed that the Air Accidents Investigation Board’s (AAIB) probe into the June 2025 Air India plane crash is over, fresh claims by report on the Italian website “Corriere della Sera”. focused on one of the two pilots who flew the plane on the fateful day. As many as 260 people died – 241 of the 242 on board and 19 on the ground in a plane crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
An Italian news report, citing “two Western sources”, claimed that “there was no technical fault”. But the human intervention was “almost certainly” intentional.
An Italian news website said the experts “never found that either engine shut down due to a fault” and “the only reasonable explanation was always human intervention, whether intentional or by mistake”. He also further claimed that Indian investigators leading the probe into the Air India Boeing 787 crash “are going to write in their final report that the plane crashed because one of the pilots turned off two fuel switches”.
Mint could not independently verify the claim.
The Italian news website also said that a preliminary report “determined that the engines shut down almost simultaneously after the fuel switches were switched from Run to Cutoff.
“However, the preliminary report did not explain why the engines stopped working within one second of each other, and inserted a line and a half of crucial information: cockpit audio extracted from a ‘voice recorder’ (one of two black boxes) recorded one pilot – unnamed – asking the other, ‘Why did you shut down the engines?’
The AAIB says the media report is speculative
In a statement, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has categorically clarified that any media report suggesting that the investigation into the accident of Air India Flight AI-171 has been completed is “incorrect and speculative”.
In a statement, the AAIB said the probe into the Air India crash was ongoing. “No final conclusions have been reached,” it said.
“Aviation accident investigations are evidence-based technical processes aimed at determining root causes and improving safety. The previously published preliminary report provided the factual information available at this stage. The final investigation report, containing conclusions and safety recommendations, will be published after the investigation is completed in accordance with established international standards,” he added.
He also suggested that media organizations “exercise restraint and avoid premature speculation”.
“Unverified reports cause unnecessary public anxiety and undermine the integrity of ongoing professional investigations,” the AAIB said.
Air India plane crash
Air India Boeing 787-8 flight AI171, en route to London Gatwick Airport, was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Captain Clive Kunder. The crash, which occurred after the plane took off from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, killed 260 people – 169 Indians, 52 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian and 12 crew members – including 241 passengers and crew on board.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also among the victims. Only one person, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash. The video showed him exiting the plane, which burned after the crash. His brother died.