Families of Air India crash victims demand ‘justice and answers'

Independent

4 days ago

Families of the victims of the Air India crash have demanded 'justice and answers', after a report found the plane's fuel switches were cut off.
The preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, said both of the plane's fuel switches moved to the 'cut-off' position 'immediately' after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine.
'In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut-off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report reads.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, killing 241 people on board.
Another 19 people also died and 67 were seriously injured.
In a statement, relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa, who died in the crash, described the report as 'the first stepping stone' and said the family are still 'working our way through the weight of our loss.'
They added: 'Moving forwards, we require honesty, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the full truth.
'We seek justice and answers, both of which are essential for us to find any sense of closure.
'We accept God's fate, but knowing what happened will help ease our hearts and allow us to begin the long journey of healing.
'Above all, we hope that by pursuing the truth, no other family will ever have to endure the shock, uncertainty, and profound sorrow that we have lived through this past month.'
The cousin of sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, who were flying home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday and died in the crash, said he was 'not satisfied' by the report.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Ishan Baxi, who lives in Ahmedabad, said: 'We're still hoping for a more transparent and honest investigation that doesn't shy away from addressing possible mechanical flaws or lapses in protocol to avoid future potential accidents.'
He added: 'I just hope the final report brings full clarity on what exactly failed and who's accountable.
'It shouldn't hide behind vague terms.
'More than anything, it should push for real changes so this never happens again.'
Fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, Professor Graham Braithwaite said.
They are designed so they cannot easily be 'accidentally' turned off and pilots would generally run through a checklist before doing so, he said.
'For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one.'
Prof Braithwaite said that if the switch had been moved by a person, that would have been a 'very unusual thing to do' at below 1,000 feet.
The aircraft was about 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a 'really, really unusual event', he added.
A lawyer advising some of the families affected by the crash said the findings were 'deeply concerning'.
Demetrius Danas, an aviation lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: 'We're continuing to speak with and advise families who've been affected by the Air India crash.
'Understandably, all they want is to be provided with answers.'
The only surviving passenger on the plane was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who previously told The Sun it was a 'miracle' he was alive but felt 'terrible' he could not save his brother Ajay.
Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities.
If the final investigation takes more than a year to complete, an interim report would be issued on the anniversary of the crash, Professor Braithwaite said, adding that interim recommendations could be made at any time.
The preliminary report says that all crew members had been breathalysed on their arrival at Ahmedabad airport, which found they were 'fit to operate the flight'.
No significant bird activity was spotted near the flight path and the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall.
Investigators have identified 'components of interest for further examinations', the report says.
Fuel samples taken from tanks used to refuel the aircraft were 'satisfactory'.
Statements have been taken from Mr Ramesh and witnesses by investigators, who will also be looking at the post-mortem examination reports of the crew and the passengers.
An Air India spokesman said: 'Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident.
'We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.'
The spokesman added: 'Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators.
'We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other authorities as their investigation progresses.
'Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such inquiries to the AAIB.'