‘Speculative': AAIB Dismisses Reports On Air India Crash Probe, Says Investigation Ongoing

Last Updated:February 12, 2026, 20:31 IST

The central agency said that the investigation into the Air India crash is still in progress and that no final conclusions have been reached.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) dismissed as “incorrect and speculative" reports claiming that the investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 crash has been finalised. The central agency said that the investigation into the Air India crash is still in progress and that no final conclusions have been reached.

The clarification came after an Italian media report suggested that India’s final investigation report into the June 12, 2025 Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad could point to pilot action, even though no such conclusion has been officially confirmed.

What Italian Media Report Claimed

According to a report published by Corriere della Sera, Indian investigators are preparing to state in the final accident report that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed because one of the pilots moved both engine fuel switches from “Run" to “Cutoff" shortly after takeoff. The act was described by sources cited in the report as “almost certainly intentional."

The Italian newspaper said it was reporting on what the final probe report may conclude, citing Western aviation sources familiar with discussions between Indian and US investigators. Those sources claimed that no technical malfunction has been identified that could explain the near-simultaneous loss of power in both engines.

Read more: Italian Media Report On Pilot’s Role In Ahmedabad Air India Crash Sparks Debate

The report said the London-bound aircraft crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport. Simulator tests conducted in the US reportedly failed to reproduce a scenario in which both engines shut down due to a mechanical fault, leaving human intervention as the only plausible explanation, according to the sources cited.

Indian authorities, including the AAIB, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Ministry, did not respond to the newspaper’s queries.

Earlier, when similar insinuations surfaced following preliminary findings, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) had strongly objected to suggestions placing blame on the flight crew of Air India Flight 171. In an official statement, the pilots’ body described the accusations as a “gross violation" and a “disservice to the profession," warning against speculative narratives, particularly those hinting at pilot suicide.

What Government Said in Parliament

The Union Civil Aviation Ministry addressed questions on the investigation process in the Lok Sabha earlier saying that the AAIB is conducting the probe strictly in accordance with standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“The EAFRs are in the custody of AAIB since their retrieval from the crash site and are under constant security and CCTV surveillance," the government said.

News india ‘Speculative': AAIB Dismisses Reports On Air India Crash Probe, Says Investigation Ongoing

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