Hours after the preliminary investigation report of the Air India flight AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people was released, Boeing, in a statement, said that it will continue to provide all support required for the probe.

The preliminary report has revealed that the Boeing 787-8 aircraft’s engine fuel control switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ position within a second of each other moments after lift-off, leading to the worst aviation disaster involving an Indian airline in four decades. The tragic accident killed 260 people — 241 of the 242 people on board the ill-fated aircraft and 19 on the ground. The aircraft was operating a flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad. I have spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau,” Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a statement.

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He added, “Boeing will defer to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to provide information about Air India Flight 171, in adherence with the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization protocol.”

Air India, too, acknowledged the report, saying that it was “working closely with stakeholders, including regulators”. “Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time,” the airline said in a statement.

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It added: “We acknowledge receipt of the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) today, 12 July 2025. Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses. Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such enquiries to the AAIB.”

According to airline pilots and experts, the movement of the fuel control switches have to be deliberate actions and their accidental movement is next to impossible. The switches have brackets on either side to protect them. Additionally, there is a stop lock mechanism that requires the pilots to lift the switch before moving it from either of its two positions — RUN and CUTOFF — to the other. The report did not mention whether the investigators have so far been able to ascertain if the switches were toggled by one of the pilots or not.

The pilot flying was co-pilot Clive Kundar, while pilot-in-command Sumeet Sabharwal was pilot monitoring for this flight. Sabharwal had nearly 8,600 hours on the Boeing 787 under his belt, while Kundar had over 1,100 hours.