Ahmedabad/ New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has renewed its demand for a judicial inquiry into the Air India AI-171 crash, urging authorities not to release any interim findings and instead wait until the investigation is fully complete.

The appeal comes on the eve of the first anniversary of one of India's worst aviation disasters, in which 260 people were killed when the London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel building at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025. Of the 242 people on board, only one passenger survived, while 19 people on the ground also lost their lives.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, FIP president C S Randhawa said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) should publish only a final report once all aspects of the crash have been thoroughly examined.

Referring to reports that the AAIB may soon release an interim update, Randhawa warned that doing so could fuel speculation and confusion.

"If there is no conclusion from the investigation, releasing an interim report will only lead to more misunderstandings. The final report should be issued whenever the probe is completed," he said.

The pilots' association, which represents more than 5,400 aviation professionals, has already approached the Supreme Court seeking a judicial probe into the crash and reiterated that such an inquiry remains necessary.

Randhawa alleged that the preliminary report released last year had led to speculation over pilot error, particularly following references to the movement of fuel control switches.

"The Western media immediately built a suicide theory around a brief cockpit voice recorder transcript. We strongly condemned those reports. It is too premature to blame the pilots," he said.

He further claimed that the Boeing 787 aircraft had experienced technical issues before operating the ill-fated flight, including problems linked to stabilisation, pressurisation and air-conditioning systems.

According to the FIP, investigators should place greater emphasis on the possibility of electrical system failures.

"Our stand from day one has been that there were electrical issues which need a thorough investigation. No pilot touched the fuel control switches. The fuel supply may have been cut off because of electrical failures affecting aircraft systems," Randhawa alleged.

He also questioned aspects of the investigation process, including the reported timing of interviews conducted with the sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

The FIP president said the organisation had sent more than 20 letters to the AAIB, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other authorities outlining concerns about the investigation and calling for broader involvement of aviation experts, including pilots, engineers and flight safety specialists.

Randhawa stressed that the purpose of any accident investigation should be to establish facts and improve safety standards rather than assign blame.

"The truth must prevail. The objective is to prevent another such accident and ensure justice for the victims and their families," he said.

He also raised concerns about delays in compensation payments to some affected families and called for compensation to be awarded in line with international standards under the Montreal Convention.

Meanwhile, Air India employees will observe a two-minute silence on Friday to honour those who lost their lives in the crash. Staff members across the airline's offices, training academy and key airport locations, including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, London Heathrow and London Gatwick, will participate in the tribute from 1:39pm to 1:41pm IST.

In Mumbai, a group of retired Air India cabin crew members is organising a multi-faith memorial service to remember the 12 crew members who died in the crash, including pilots Sumeet Sabharwal and Clive Kunder.

The AAIB continues to investigate the cause of the accident, with an interim report or official update expected in the coming days.

(PTI)