AAIB slams ‘irresponsible’ media reports on Air India crash

New Delhi: As certain international media outlets continue to publish unverified and allegedly misleading reports concerning the Air India Ahmedabad crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday issued a strong caution against “selective and unverified reporting”, describing such coverage as “irresponsible and potentially damaging to the probe’s integrity”.

The warning came following a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which claimed that a cockpit recording of the dialogue between the two pilots of the ill-fated Air India flight, which crashed last month, allegedly suggests the captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane’s engines.

AAIB responds to media speculation

“It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting,” said AAIB 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 probe agency added.

“At this stage, it is too early to reach any definite conclusions. The investigation by AAIB is still not complete. The Final Investigation Report will come out with root causes and recommendations,” it noted.

FIP flags concerns over preliminary report

Earlier in the day, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) raised concerns in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, stating that the AAIB’s preliminary report on the Air India crash in Ahmedabad failed to sufficiently consider two plausible and previously documented technical scenarios. The association noted that either of these could have triggered an automated shutdown of both engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the crash.

The FIP urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to involve more subject matter experts in the investigation. It further alleged that the preliminary report seems to suggest the possibility of pilot error without providing conclusive evidence or exploring well-documented technical failure modes previously observed in similar aircraft.

ALPA-India backs crew’s actions

Meanwhile, pilots’ grouping ALPA-India expressed its support for the actions of the crew aboard flight AI-171, asserting they made every effort to protect passengers.

“The crew of AI-171 made every possible effort – till their very last breath – to protect the passengers on board and minimise harm on the ground. They deserve respect, not unfounded character judgments,” ALPA-India said in a statement.

“We reiterate our call for a fact-based and respectful discourse,” the association added.
IANS inputs