Ahmedabad plane crash: British agency steps back, says its role limited to ‘expert’

Nearly a year after the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, families of the victims are still searching for justice and the true cause of the tragedy. The aircraft had taken off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport before crashing shortly after departure. Now, the British investigation agency has clarified the limits of its involvement.

The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has stated that it does not have the authority to conduct a technical investigation in this case. In a letter to the families, Principal Inspector Geraint Herbert explained that the investigation is being led by Indian authorities, and the UK is only participating in an expert capacity.

Under international rules, since British citizens were among the victims, the UK is allowed to visit the crash site and access factual information shared by India. However, it cannot directly intervene in the technical aspects of the investigation. The agency also noted that preliminary reports are not final and may change, urging families not to draw premature conclusions.

Meanwhile, anger among victims’ families especially those based in Ahmedabad is growing. They have written to Narendra Modi, Bhupendra Patel, and the Union Civil Aviation Minister, demanding justice.

Their primary demand is the release of the aircraft’s black box data. Families say that despite the passage of time, the truth has not come out. Social activist Kuldeep Ishrani, who is in touch with around 200 affected families, said that they are now prepared for a prolonged fight due to the slow pace of the investigation.

The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating Flight AI-171, en route to London Gatwick, crashed within minutes of takeoff on June 12 last year.

The tragic accident claimed the lives of 260 passengers, including 53 British nationals, along with 19 people on the ground. A preliminary report released a month after the crash indicated that fuel supply to the engines was cut off shortly after takeoff, leading to a loss of thrust.

Currently, the US’s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing are also assisting in the investigation. However, there is still no clarity on when the final report will be released.