Air India AI171 crash probe in final stage, report likely within a month: Minister

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday said the investigation into the Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad has entered its final stage and the final report is likely to be completed within a month. The investigation is being conducted independently by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the government has stated that all necessary resources are being provided to assist the probe.

Naidu made the remarks while speaking on the sidelines of the Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit at GIFT City in Gandhinagar. He said the investigation process was being carried out with transparency because the ill-fated flight had foreign nationals onboard and the final report would be subject to international scrutiny. The minister stated that while efforts were being made to complete the investigation at the earliest, the government would not interfere with the investigation process.

The crash took place on June 12, 2025, when Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed less than a minute after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft crashed into the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew members onboard.

The AAIB had earlier submitted its preliminary investigation findings to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on July 12, 2025. According to the preliminary findings, the fuel supply to both engines was cut off within a gap of one second shortly after takeoff, leading to confusion inside the cockpit. The preliminary report stated that cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel was cut off, while the second pilot denied doing so. Investigators have stated that technical, operational, organisational and human factors are all being examined as part of the probe.

Responding to concerns raised by some victims’ families regarding communication and compensation, Naidu said the ministry was closely monitoring the situation and remained in regular contact with Air India. He stated that a dedicated monitoring cell had been established within the ministry and that the airline had been instructed to maintain communication with affected families and ensure compensation-related matters were addressed.