What caused Air India plane crash? India probes every angle, even sabotage
The
Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau
(AAIB) is examining all possible angles, including sabotage, in the deadly crash of Air India flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad that killed over 250 people last month, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told NDTV in an exclusive interaction.
Mohol said the AAIB is conducting a thorough investigation into the June 12 crash, which occurred seconds after the London-bound
Boeing Dreamliner 787-8
took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Only one of the 242 people on board survived. The plane crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College, killing nine people on the ground as well.
'It was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investigation… It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage,' Mohol said, adding that CCTV footage is being reviewed and several agencies are involved in the probe.
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
default
, selected
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Juiz De Fora (consulte o preço)
Alarmes
Undo
Mohol also confirmed that the black box recovered from the wreckage remains in the custody of AAIB and will not be sent abroad. 'It will not go anywhere. We will do the entire investigation here.'
The pilot had issued a 'Mayday' distress call shortly after takeoff, the Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control confirmed. Preliminary theories from aviation experts suggest a rare simultaneous engine failure may have brought down the aircraft.
Live Events
'It has never happened that both engines shut down together,' Mohol said, calling the accident a "rare case". He added that investigators are analysing data from the black box — including the cockpit voice recorder — to determine whether it was an engine issue, a fuel supply problem, or something else.
'The report will come in three months,' he said.
Mohol also addressed concerns about passenger safety following the crash, saying that all 33 Boeing Dreamliners in Air India's fleet have been inspected and found to be safe. 'People are no longer scared and are travelling comfortably,' he added.
The minister further commented on staffing shortages, confirming that 419 technical vacancies at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will soon be addressed. On pilot welfare, he noted that aviators facing overwork or harassment by private airlines can approach the Civil Aviation Ministry directly.
Meanwhile, India has accepted a proposal from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to appoint an observer in the investigation of the Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad that killed 275 people. However, the UN aviation watchdog will not be allowed to join the probe team directly. This marks an unprecedented move by ICAO, typically reserved for conflict zones or military-related shoot-downs.
The observer will provide technical inputs and ensure global best practices are followed, but will not have investigative authority. Officials say the decision is aimed at enhancing transparency and reinforcing India's adherence to international standards.
The U.S. National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) is already part of the probe due to Boeing and GE's involvement, while the UK—after losing 53 nationals—has also been invited to send an observer.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has successfully extracted data from the black box in Delhi. A multidisciplinary team has been formed, but the lead investigator is yet to be officially named.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Sean Strickland storms cage, punches fighter during Tuff-N-Uff event
Sean Strickland , a former UFC middleweight champion, sparked chaos at a Tuff-N-Uff 145, an MMA event , in Las Vegas on Sunday night, storming the cage and punching a fighter following a bout involving one of his teammates. The incident unfolded after welterweight prospect Luis Hernandez secured a second-round submission victory over Strickland's teammate, Miles Hunsinger , via a standing guillotine choke. As the referee called the fight, Hernandez celebrated his win with an indecent gesture directed toward Strickland's corner which quickly triggered tensions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Hides This Cheap 87¢ Generic Viagra from Seniors – Here's Why fridayplans Learn More — AlexBehunin (@AlexBehunin) Strickland, who got enraged with that act, stormed into the cage and punched Hernandez, sparking a brief but heated altercation. Making matters worse, fellow UFC fighter Chris Curtis - also cornering Hunsinger - grabbed Hernandez by the neck during the melee before officials and security separated the parties. Live Events — AlexBehunin (@AlexBehunin) The shocking outburst was captured on video and quickly circulated across social media, drawing widespread attention and criticism. Strickland, known for his aggressive nature both inside and outside the octagon, now faces disciplinary action from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Given the NSAC's strict policies, the UFC veteran is likely to be suspended and fined in the coming weeks. His high-profile status in the UFC could lead to enhanced scrutiny and a more severe penalty.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Air India plane crash probe looking at all angles: MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol
An Indian Aviation Minister on Sunday (June 29, 2025) said investigators were probing 'all angles' behind the Air India plane crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad when asked by media about possible sabotage. All but one of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were killed when it crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. Authorities have identified 19 others who died on the ground, but a police source told AFP after the crash that the toll was 38. India's Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, said the investigation was looking at "all angles" when asked specifically about possible "sabotage", in an interview with Indian news channel NDTV. "It has never happened before that both engines have shut off together," Mr. Mohol said earlier in the interview, in reference to theories by some experts of possible dual-engine failure. The Minister added that until the investigation report is published, it would be premature to comment on the cause. The team appointed to investigate the crash started extracting data from the plane's cockpit voice and flight data recorders this week, in an attempt to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the disaster. Air India has said that the plane was "well-maintained" and that the pilots were accomplished flyers.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
AI 171 crash probe looking at sabotage angle too: Minister
NEW DELHI: The probe into the June 12 crash of Air India's AI 171 in Ahmedabad is examining all angles, including sabotage. Junior civil aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol said in an interview to NDTV that the black box recovered from the wreckage of the ill-fated Dreamliner is with Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which has begun a full investigation into the crash. "It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage. The CCTV footage is being reviewed and all angles are being assessed... several agencies are working on it," Mohol said. He ruled out sending the black box abroad for assessment. "It will not go anywhere. It is in AAIB's custody and there is no need to send it outside. We will do the entire investigation." Terming the crash a "rare case", Mohol said: "It has never happened that both engines have shut down together... Once the (probe) report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem or fuel supply issue, or why both the engines had stopped functioning. There is a CVR (cockpit voice recorder) in the black box which has stored the conversation between the two pilots. It is too early to say anything but whatever it is, it will come out. The report will come in three months." The AI Boeing 787 had crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12 just seconds after taking off for London. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If A Cat Bites Their Owner Heres What It Really Means Gloriousa Undo Data from the black box has been downloaded at an AAIB lab in Delhi. The aircraft's CVR and flight data recorder (FDR) were recovered on June 13 and 16, respectively, from the rooftop of the building where the Dreamliner had crashed onto and from the debris. They were flown to Delhi by IAF aircraft on June 24 under security and brought to a lab of AAIB. Aviation ministry Thursday said, "Analysis of CVR and FDR data is underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences."
