...
By Chloe Mayer
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Investigators probing the deadly Air India crash on June 12 have confirmed that sabotage has not been ruled out.
Some 274 victims were killed when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plunged into a building, shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad Airport in India on its journey to London Gatwick in the United Kingdom.
India's aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol told reporters it was possible that the disaster had occurred as the result of a deliberate act. The grim theory was one of several possibilities being explored by experts at India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), he said.
Read More
Air India Flight From Ahmedabad to London Canceled Days After Fatal Crash3 min read
New Air India Plane Crash Video Shows Survivor Emerging From Flames3 min read
Air India Pilot Turns Back Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner After Take-off3 min read
Newsweek has reached out by email to India's Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking further information and comment.
...
Why It Matters
Hundreds were killed when the plane plummeted from the sky, including 242 on board and dozens more on the ground, many of whom were inside a building housing medical students. A single passenger survived the crash and his escape was caught on camera as he walked away from the burning wreckage.
Investigators have been combing through the wreckage, and analyzing the plane's "black box" flight recorders, as they try to establish what brought down Flight AI171.
Pressure has been growing on officials to release more information about their investigation and there has been criticism within India about a perceived delay in uncovering what went wrong. Under international rules set up by the United Nations (UN), a preliminary report should be submitted to the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) within 30 days of a crash, although whether it is made public or not is left to the discretion of the investigating country. A full report should be published within a year, under the rules.
What To Know
Analysis of both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder is currently underway, Mohol said.
There had been reports that other countries' experts would be involved in the investigation, but Mohol the the black box "will not go anywhere," adding: "It is in AAIB's custody and there is no need to send it outside. We will do the entire investigation... Once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem or fuel supply issue or why both the engines had stopped functioning."
Besides the possibility of sabotage, aviation experts say other theories will also be explored, such as an aircraft malfunction, a bird strike, or pilot error.
What People Are Saying
Aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol told the Indian broadcaster NDTV: "It was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB [Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau] has begun a full investigation into it... It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage. The CCTV footage are being reviewed and all angles are being assessed... several agencies are working on it," he said.
What Happens Next
As the grieving friends and families of the victims try to come to terms with their losses, the investigation into what caused their deaths continues. Mohol said the report into the incident is due to be published in three months' time.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines