Latest news with #AmeenSiddiqui
News18
6 days ago
- News18
'Want To Blame Pilots....We Don't Accept It': Kin Of Air India Crash Victims On Probe Report
Last Updated: The relative of a victim said that he has dismissed the compensation amount offered by the airline, adding that he would take them to court for 'killing our family members'. Relatives of those killed in the Air India plane crash in Gujarat on 12 June have criticised the preliminary probe report, with some also calling it a 'cover-up". 'This report is wrong. We don't accept it," said Ameen Siddiqui, the brother-in-law of British national and Gloucestershire resident Akeel Nanabawa — who died along with his wife, Hannaa Vorajee and their daughter Sara in the crash. Siddiqui told the UK's The Telegraph that 'they want to blame dead pilots who can't defend themselves". He also mentioned that he has dismissed the compensation amount offered by the airline, adding that he would take them to court for 'killing our family members". A relative of another victim, Vallabh Nagji Agheda, called the probe a 'cover-up" for Air India and Boeing. Vallabh Nagji was travelling with his wife, Vinaben Vallabh Agheda, when the tragedy unfolded. 'We were pre-empting that they would start blaming the pilots. Why are they not looking for a mechanical fault? How qualified are the people in the Indian Air Accident Investigation Bureau? The FAA (US aviation regulator) gave an advisory in 2018 to check the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature. Shouldn't they have made this a mandatory requirement rather than an advisory?" Joge asked. Speaking to TOI, the youngest son of the Agheda couple said, 'It does not look like it's the pilot's fault. It could be Boeing's design fault with the switches, or it could be Air India's maintenance issues. Most of the families believe it's a problem with the aircraft. Air India is helping us with compensation but we are more concerned about getting the right report. We want the truth to make sure another disaster doesn't happen." The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) on Sunday raised concerns over the probe report into the Air India crash, saying they are 'deeply disturbed". 'In the aftermath of this incident, we are deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse — particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide," said the ICPA. In an official statement, the ICPA called the accusations against the AI171 pilots and flight crew a 'gross violation" and a 'disservice to the profession". Air India Crash Probe Report The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in its preliminary report on the crash that killed 260 people on 12 June, said the fuel switches to the engines were cut off within a gap of 1 second immediately after take-off, causing confusion in the cockpit of Air India flight AI171. A five-member team appointed by the AAIB is probing the crash, which is also the first case where a Boeing 787 Dreamliner accident resulted in hull loss. view comments First Published: July 14, 2025, 09:26 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
7NEWS
6 days ago
- 7NEWS
Air India families claim cover-up as they ask one chilling question why plane crashed and killed 242 passengers
The families of the passengers killed in the Air India tragedy last month want to know why the plane's fuel switches were cut-off at take-off, an act which led to a catastrophic loss of trust for the aircraft. Air India flight AI171 had barely left the runway last month when it lost momentum and crashed in a densely populated area of India's western city of Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground. Now, a preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has revealed that fuel supply to both engines was cut in the crucial minutes as the aircraft was ascending in the air. The plane's black box data recorder showed the aircraft had reached an airspeed of 180 knots when the fuel switches of both engines were 'transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one', the report says. The report says the switches were flipped within a second of each other, halting the flow of fuel to the engine. In the audio, one pilot asks the other why he flipped the switches. The other pilot responds he did not do so. Seconds later, the switches were flipped back on. Both engines were able to relight, and one began to 'progress to recovery', the report said, but it was too late to stop the plane's gut-wrenching descent. While the report identified the problem, it did not say whether the crash was caused by a crew error, mechanical malfunction, or electronic failure. Speaking to the UK's Telegraph, Ameen Siddiqui, whose bother-in-law and niece died in the crash, argued it was a cover-up. 'It's a cover-up to protect Air India and the government,' he said. 'They want to blame dead pilots who can't defend themselves. 'How can the fuel switches end up turning off at a critical moment, either through pilot error or a mechanical fault?' Appearing on Sunrise on Monday, former Qantas pilot Richard De Crespigny spoke about the fuel switches, saying if it was mechanical failure, it would be remarkable. 'The fuel control switches you turn them on at the start of the flight, turn them off at the end. You turn them on and off if you have to restart the engine or if there is a fire,' De Crespigny explained. 'You have to move them in flight. But to have two turn off within a second of each other is remarkable. If it's a switch failure, it is a really remote (chance of it happening). 'I suspect there is a human error in this (tragedy). But we just don't know. 'The investigators could release the voice transcript, so we know exactly what was said and correlate it to what happened. '(But) they haven't done that. 'They have left a lot open.' Is it a cover-up? De Crespigny was asked on his thoughts of it being a cover-up. 'If it was a cover-up, and there was a mechanical fault, then we have had two switches that are faulty turning-off within one second of each other,' De Crespigny said. 'After 10 years of this 787's operations, this is highly (unlikely) ... Almost impossible. 'I don't think they want to cover it up. 'They're (just) not used to exposing all the facts and shutting down these rumours.' Turning the fuel switches off? De Crespigny said turning off the fuel switches would cause an aviation disaster. 'If you turned off the fuel switches, the engines would be running down within one second because you are turning off the main pumps and it's dramatic,' he said. 'It has to be because you have to stop fuel getting to the engine if there's a fire. 'The fuel switches were turned off and within 10 seconds they're both turned on. 'It suggests there was some interaction, somewhere in the cockpit. 'The switches didn't just float up or float down.' What do the switches look like? De Crespigny described the switches. 'They look like little mushrooms in the supermarket, button mushrooms you have to pull the switch out and move it up or down and then release it,' he said. 'It won't move by itself or by accident.' De Crespigny explained he did hear of one incident where the switches were faulty. 'There was a report of these switches not having a lock to secure them,' he said. 'This would mean the switch might fall down in turbulence and turn off. 'To have two doing this (during) take-off ... This is very remote.' - with CNN
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Air India 'issued warning six years before 260 people killed in horror crash'
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning about fuel switches on some Boeing planes to airlines in 2018 - more than six years before Air India Flight 171 crashed and killed 260 people Air India was warned about wrongly installed fuel switches more than six years before the horror crash which killed 260 people, it was claimed today. Investigators are said to be probing if the loss of power shortly after take off occurred because two fuel switches in the cockpit of Air India Flight 171 were turned off. The switches' "locking feature" meant pilots had to lift them up before changing their position. But a preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said in December 2018 the US air regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines that fuel switches had been installed in some Boeing 737s "with the locking feature disengaged". "If the locking feature is disengaged, the switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting the switch during transition, and the switch would be exposed to the potential of inadvertent operation," the FAA warned in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin. "Inadvertent operation of the switch could result in an unintended consequence, such as an in-flight engine shutdown." It recommended airlines inspect the switches, including "whether the fuel control switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting up the switch". Air India suggested such inspections were not carried out because the FAA's bulletin was "advisory and not mandatory", according to the report. The AAIB report says the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models including part number 4TL837-3D fitted in the 787-8 Dreamliner, the model that crashed in Ahmedabad. It comes just days after it was claimed human error had caused the catastrophic crash, with the AAIB suggesting both pilots on the doomed Air India flight had denied cutting off the plane's fuel switches. The report says: "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he did the cut-off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so." However, victims' families have blasted the report and accused authorities of rushing to blame the pilots for the disaster. "This report is wrong. We don't accept it," said Ameen Siddiqui, 28, whose brother-in-law Akeel Nanabawa died alongside his wife, Hannaa Vorajee, and their daughter, Sara, four. Akeel, who grew up in Newport, South Wales, was returning to his home in Gloucestershire with his wife and child. "It's a cover-up," Mr Siddiqui told The Telegraph from Surat, south of Ahmedabad. "They want to blame dead pilots who can't defend themselves. How can the fuel switches end up turning off at a critical moment, either through pilot error or a mechanical fault? "And if these pilots were so careless, why did the government allow them to fly at all? Air India until recently was owned by the government." Mr Siddiqui added: "We have rejected Air India's compensation. We will take them to court. They have to answer our questions and take responsibility. "We have seen the videos of the passengers and pilots before the take off. Everyone was happy in the plane including the pilots. You could not find a ting of sadness, fear or anger on anyone's face. Why will they [pilots] turn the fuel switches off deliberately. Everyone was smiling." However, the report was described as "the first stepping stone" by Akeel's relatives. In a statement, they said: "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." Fifty-two Britons were among 260 who died when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college after taking off from Ahmedabad a month ago. Air India Flight 171, bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, was the sole survivor among those on board.
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Air India victims' families slam ‘cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FAMILIES of the victims who tragically died in the Air India crash have slammed the preliminary report as a cover-up. Mystery has deepened over the actual cause of the crash after an initial investigation found the plane's fuel switches were cut off, which led to a catastrophic loss of thrust during the initial take-off. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 13 Officials inspect the remains of the Air India passenger plane at the crash site near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad Credit: EPA 13 Indian firefighters and rescue personnel work on the site of an Air India plane Credit: AP 13 Rear end of the aircraft after it crashed into a medical hostel Credit: Getty 13 The plane seconds before disaster Credit: X/nchorAnandN Initial findings in the 15-page report released by the Indian Authorities indicate switches to the engines' fuel supplies were moved from the "RUN" position to "CUTOFF". "The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off," the report said. Analysis of the cockpit voice recording revealed that one of the pilots asked: 'Why did you cut off?" To which the other pilot replied: 'I didn't." Though the report does not identify which comments were made by the flight's captain and which were made by the first officer. However, families of some of the 260 victims have slammed the report, saying "they dont accept it." They have dubbed the report is "biased" and said it only appears to "blame the dead pilots". Ameen Siddiqui, the brother-in-law of Akeel Nanabawa, died alongside his wife and their four-year-old daughter, told The Telegraph: "It's a cover-up to protect Air India and the government. "They want to blame dead pilots who can't defend themselves. "How can the fuel switches end up turning off at a critical moment, either through pilot error or a mechanical fault?" Pilot of doomed India Air jet hailed a hero by locals who cheated death by a few feet "And if these pilots were so careless, why did the government allow them to fly at all? Air India until recently was owned by the government." Meanwhile, the cousin of sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, who were flying home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday, said he was "not satisfied" by the report. Ishan Baxi 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. "I just hope the final report brings full clarity on what exactly failed and who's accountable. It shouldn't hide behind vague terms." Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told reporters that investigators probed in a "mature, transparent" way. "This is a preliminary report. We want the final report to come in, so let us wait for it," he said. Flipping the switches to cutoff almost immediately cuts the engines. It is most often used to turn engines off once a plane has arrived at its airport gate and in certain emergency situations, such as an engine fire. The report does not indicate there was any emergency requiring an engine cutoff. 13 A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics 13 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot 13 Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight 13 Debris at the site of a plane crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Credit: EPA But the inconclusive report, which came after 30 days of the crash, does not indicate that the flight encountered any such emergency situation. It is almost impossible to turn the switches off accidentally - they must be pulled up and locked before flipping - a safety design feature that was introduced decades ago. Protective guards are further installed to minimise the risks - raising further questions as to why the fuel switches in the Air India flight were turned off. Sources say the black box analysis has so far been unable to rule out 'improper, inadvertent or intentional' action that caused them to be flipped. Interestingly, the report points out that the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2018 issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) - highlighting that a few Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. But it was not deemed unsafe, and no Airworthiness Directive (AD) - a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions in a product - was issued, The same switch design is used in Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India's VT-ANB Dreamliner in question. 13 The report also found that pilots were able to restart one of the engines, but failed to stop the plane from decelerating. The fuel switches then returned to the "RUN" position and the engines appeared to be gathering power, but "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'", the report said. Experts have said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches. "If they were moved because of a pilot, why?" asked U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse. No significant bird activity was observed in the vicinity of the plane's flight path, the report added. Pilot Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kunder had more than 14,000 hours of flying experience between them - including some 9,000 hours on the 787. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take-off, killing all but one passenger. 13 Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess Credit: x/mitrapredator 13 Search and rescue teams respond to the scene of a plane crash in Ahmedabad, India Credit: AP 13 Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, poses for the first time since the disaster Credit: Dan Charity
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Air India victims' families slam ‘cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion
FAMILIES of the victims who tragically died in the Air India crash have slammed the preliminary report as a cover-up. Mystery has deepened over the actual cause of the crash after an initial investigation found the 13 Officials inspect the remains of the Air India passenger plane at the crash site near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad Credit: EPA 13 Indian firefighters and rescue personnel work on the site of an Air India plane Credit: AP 13 Rear end of the aircraft after it crashed into a medical hostel Credit: Getty 13 The plane seconds before disaster Credit: X/nchorAnandN Initial findings in the 15-page report released by the Indian Authorities indicate switches to the engines' fuel supplies were moved from the "RUN" position to "CUTOFF". "The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off," the report said. Analysis of the cockpit voice recording revealed that one of the pilots asked: 'Why did you cut off?" To which the other pilot replied: 'I didn't." more on Ir India crash Though the report does not identify which comments were made by the flight's captain and which were made by the first officer. However, families of some of the 260 victims have slammed the report, saying "they dont accept it." They have dubbed the report is "biased" and said it only appears to "blame the dead pilots". Ameen Siddiqui, the brother-in-law of Akeel Nanabawa, died alongside his wife and their four-year-old daughter, told The Telegraph: "It's a cover-up to protect Air India and the government. Most read in The Sun "They want to blame dead pilots who can't defend themselves. "How can the fuel switches end up turning off at a critical moment, either through pilot error or a mechanical fault?" Pilot of doomed India Air jet hailed a hero by locals who cheated death by a few feet "And if these pilots were so careless, why did the government allow them to fly at all? Air India until recently was owned by the government." Meanwhile, the cousin of sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, who were flying home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday, said he was "not satisfied" by the report. Ishan Baxi 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. "I just hope the final report brings full clarity on what exactly failed and who's accountable. It shouldn't hide behind vague terms." Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told reporters that investigators probed in a "mature, transparent" way. "This is a preliminary report. We want the final report to come in, so let us wait for it," he said. Flipping the switches to cutoff almost immediately cuts the engines. It is most often used to turn engines off once a plane has arrived at its airport gate and in certain emergency situations, such as an engine fire. The report does not indicate there was any emergency requiring an engine cutoff. 13 A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics 13 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot 13 Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight 13 Debris at the site of a plane crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Credit: EPA But the inconclusive report, which came after 30 days of the crash, does not indicate that the flight encountered any such emergency situation. It is almost impossible to turn the switches off accidentally - they must be pulled up and locked before flipping - a safety design feature that was introduced decades ago. Protective guards are further installed to minimise the risks - raising further questions as to why the fuel switches in the Air India flight were turned off. Sources say the black box analysis has so far been unable to rule out 'improper, inadvertent or intentional' action that caused them to be flipped. Interestingly, the report points out that the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2018 issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) - highlighting that a few Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. But it was not deemed unsafe, and no Airworthiness Directive (AD) - a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions in a product - was issued, The same switch design is used in Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India's VT-ANB Dreamliner in question. 13 The report also found that pilots were able to restart one of the engines, but failed to stop the plane from decelerating. The fuel switches then returned to the "RUN" position and the engines appeared to be gathering power, but "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'", the report said. Experts have said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches. "If they were moved because of a pilot, why?" asked U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse. No significant bird activity was observed in the vicinity of the plane's flight path, the report added. Pilot Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kunder had more than 14,000 hours of flying experience between them - including some 9,000 hours on the 787. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take-off, killing all but one passenger. 13 Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess Credit: x/mitrapredator 13 Search and rescue teams respond to the scene of a plane crash in Ahmedabad, India Credit: AP 13 Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, poses for the first time since the disaster Credit: Dan Charity 13 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the only survivor in an Air India plane crash at a hospital in Ahmedabad Credit: Alamy
