Avoid speculation on Air India crash, says global pilots’ body

An international organisation representing 150,000 pilots across 70 countries has called for the public to avoid speculating on the cause of the Air India crash that occurred on June 12, emphasising on the importance of allowing the ongoing investigation to conclude.

This comes days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) submitted its preliminary findings into the Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad in which 260 people died.

“Whilst this preliminary report by its very nature raises many questions, it does not provide answers, and any extrapolation of its content can only be regarded as guesswork, which is not helpful to the good conduct of the investigation,” said Montreal-based non-profit International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations in a press statement. It called reports on media and commentary on social media as “hasty”.

“A preliminary report is merely the means of communication used for the prompt dissemination of data obtained during the early stages of the investigation and only contains factual information and an indication of the progress of the investigation,” the statement added.

Amid demands from pilot bodies for allowing them observer status during the ongoing probe, IFALPA said it was “committed” to supporting the AAIB.