Air India has grounded three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for thorough investigations following a tragic crash earlier this year that claimed the lives of 241 individuals. The devastating incident occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 241 out of 242 passengers on board. This decision to suspend the three latest Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners follows four serious in-flight incidents.
Shortly after the crash, India’s Supreme Court indicated that the pilot of the ill-fated Air India flight should not be held accountable. The court mentioned that the initial report on the Air India crash does not point fingers at the captain. However, there is a pending request from the pilot’s father for an independent inquiry, which the judges will review.
In June, Air India Flight 171 en route to London Gatwick tragically crashed into a building shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 241 passengers on board and 19 individuals on the ground. The only survivor, Briton Viswashkumar Ramesh, expressed his emotional distress following the traumatic event.
The father of pilot Sumeet Sabharwal, Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, urged the Supreme Court to commission an investigation by a panel of aviation experts into the crash. The pilot-in-command, Sumeet Sabharwal, along with first officer Clive Kunder, faced scrutiny and demanded an independent committee to probe the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash, criticizing the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Allegations surfaced earlier when two AAIB officials reportedly insinuated that the pilot may have tampered with the fuel supply to the plane’s engine post-takeoff. The government refuted these claims, asserting that the investigation was thorough and unbiased.
The preliminary report released by the AAIB in July revealed that fuel control switches in the cockpit were moved to a “CUTOFF” position. An audio recording from the cockpit captured one pilot questioning the other about cutting off the fuel, to which the other pilot denied doing so. Both pilots were seasoned professionals with significant flying experience, totaling over 19,000 flying hours, including more than 9,000 hours on the Boeing 787.
Among the 241 passengers onboard the ill-fated flight, 53 were UK citizens. Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor, continues to struggle with physical injuries sustained during the crash, including knee, shoulder, and back pain, along with burns to his left arm. He has received an interim payment of £21,500 to support him during his recovery process.
