✕ Close The British victims of the Air India plane crash

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A pilots’ union has hit out at the initial report into the Air India crash for raising the possibility of human error.

The preliminary report published by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is part of the ongoing probe into what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to come down, found that fuel control switches were moved to “cut-off” position as the aircraft rose from take-off.

Experts have since said it is not easy to “accidentally” cut off fuel switches.

The 15-page document also includes a conversation between the pilots on the fuel controls before the crash. “In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut-off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” it stated.

In a statement issued in response, The Hindu reported the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA-I) said: “The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. ALPA-I categorically rejects this presumption and insists on a fair, fact-based inquiry.”

Victims’ families are stunned following the report’s release.

Badasab Syed, 59 – who lost his brother, 49-year-old IT professional Inayat Syed, his sister-in-law, and their two children in the tragedy – told the BBC he has just been left with more questions, as he asked whether the tragedy was “avoidable”.

Of the 242 people onboard flight AI171 to London Gatwick on 12 June, 241 were killed, including 53 British nationals. The flight crashed into a hostel complex at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College in Ahmedabad, also killing several students and residents on the ground. Only one passenger – a British-Indian man seated in 11A – survived. A total of 260 people died in the tragedy.

THE support of the Irish people in the aftermath of the horrific Air India disaster 40 years ago this year, has been a source of strength to the families of those who perished, a father of two child victims has said.

At 8.12am on June 23rd 1985, a bomb exploded on Flight 182, travelling from Toronto to Delhi, killing all 329 men, women and children on board.

The plane plunged into the sea off the West Cork coast.

As it was the beginning of the summer school holidays in Canada, the plane was packed with families making return journeys home to their loved ones in India, and many Canadian tourists innocently adventuring across to the other side of the world.

Babu and Padmini Turlapati’s two young boys had finished school for the summer and were travelling back to visit their grandparents in India, ready to proudly show them the various trophies they had won during the year, which were safely packed into their little bags.

“We bid Sanjay (14) and Deepak (11) adieu at the airport,” Padmini recalled. “Deepak went carefree, talking animatedly with friends, while Sanjay turned back at least 15 times to wave us goodbye.”

She said she also had a “transient sense of foreboding” about the flight.

The next morning, at 6am in Toronto, she woke to the news that the plane had exploded over the Irish sea, with bodies taken to Cork. Deepak was never found.

Staff photographer Denis Minihane’s dramatic picture of bodies from the Air India disaster on June 23rd 1985 in a temporary morgue at Cork Regional Hospital (now the University Hospital).

Now, forty years later, she has once more made the annual pilgrimage to West Cork with her husband Babu, to remember their children, and all the others who perished on that day.

Speaking to The Echo, Babu noted that the mid-air explosion caused by bombs placed by Sikh extremists resulted in the deaths of 82 children under the age of 13.

“It cut short the lives of promising young innocent victims and shattered the lives of the families of victims. In this senseless tragedy there were families that had entirely perished, children left without their father or mother, parents losing all their children and spouses losing their partners and children,” according to Babu.

“The pain and grief continues forever, and the families have no choice but to live the rest of their lives with the pain of losing their loved ones.”

But, he noted, there was one small light of positivity.

“In all this doom and gloom, there entered the Irish people with their kind-hearted help,” he said.

The couple travel annually to the commemoration but also to spend time at the peaceful memorial garden, on the coast road near the tiny village of Ahakista on Sheep’s Head in West Cork.

“We lost our only children Sanjay and Deepak in this horrific crime,” explained their mother, Padmini.

“Sanjay would have been 54 and Deepak would have been 51 years now. Only Sanjay’s body was recovered, but Deepak is still there in Irish waters. We find peace at the memorial site thinking of Deepak. We also feel that we come to the memorial site to be with Deepak.”

Babu added that he feels the love of the Irish ever since that horrific day in 1985.

“The compassion, support and hospitality we receive from the Irish people, particularly the local community is beyond description and has been a source of strength for us to return year-after-year, and stay in peace for few days. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Padmini remembers her beautiful 14-year-old boy Sanjay who showed so much promise for the future. “Our first-born Sanjay was aptly named by my sister Sujatha, meaning foresight and wisdom. Looking back I recall the gentle giant of a boy at 5’10.

“After his demise, his school teacher brought his work. In it was the poem ‘Death be not proud’ – written by him when he was 11 years old.”

She also tells the story of little Deepak, a “happy go lucky” mischievous boy, but after his death, she got a call from a 80-year-old woman who said that Deepak used to go to her apartment and check on her.

He would help the elderly lady by getting things like milk for her and she gave him a dollar in return.

“When he told us, his father scolded him for taking money. He went to return it,” Padmini said.

Babu says all the families are very united and in regular contact as a group, as part of the Air India Flight 182 Families Association in Canada.

Some of the bodies which were brought ashore at the Irish naval base at Haulbowline by the LE Aisling.

There are four memorials built in Canada by the government to enable the families who can’t travel to Ireland to meet and attend the annual memorial service in different cities in Canada.

Sadly, Babu doesn’t think they will ever get “closure”.

“The culprits responsible for bombing the plane were charged and tried. One who was accused of making the bomb was convicted, and released after serving 25 years in prison.

“Two more men were acquitted due to lack of evidence. This mass murder was well planned, conspired and committed. The persons responsible were well known but escaped conviction.

“I don’t think there will be any closure to the victims’ families, ever.”

The annual commemoration will take place next week at the memorial at Ahakista on Monday June 23rd at 8.12am – the exact time Air India Flight 182 went down where representatives from both countries’ governments will be in attendance, along with members of the remaining families though, sadly, many have since passed.

Families of the victims of the Air India crash have demanded “justice and answers”, after a report found the plane’s fuel switches were cut off.

The preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, said both of the plane’s fuel switches moved to the “cut-off” position “immediately” after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut-off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report reads.

The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, killing 241 people on board.

Another 19 people also died and 67 were seriously injured.

In a statement, relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa, who died in the crash, described the report as “the first stepping stone” and said the family are still “working our way through the weight of our loss.”

They added: “Moving forwards, we require honesty, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the full truth.

“We seek justice and answers, both of which are essential for us to find any sense of closure.

“We accept God’s fate, but knowing what happened will help ease our hearts and allow us to begin the long journey of healing.

“Above all, we hope that by pursuing the truth, no other family will ever have to endure the shock, uncertainty, and profound sorrow that we have lived through this past month.”

The cousin of sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, who were flying home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday and died in the crash, said he was “not satisfied” by the report.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Ishan Baxi, who lives in Ahmedabad, said: “We’re still hoping for a more transparent and honest investigation that doesn’t shy away from addressing possible mechanical flaws or lapses in protocol to avoid future potential accidents.”

He added: “I just hope the final report brings full clarity on what exactly failed and who’s accountable.

“It shouldn’t hide behind vague terms.

“More than anything, it should push for real changes so this never happens again.”

Officials inspect the site of the crash (Ajit Solanki/AP)

Fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, Professor Graham Braithwaite said.

They are designed so they cannot easily be “accidentally” turned off and pilots would generally run through a checklist before doing so, he said.

“For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn’t accidentally switch two when you’re trying to switch one.”

A preliminary report into the crash was published on Friday (Ajit Solanki/AP)

Prof Braithwaite said that if the switch had been moved by a person, that would have been a “very unusual thing to do” at below 1,000 feet.

The aircraft was about 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a “really, really unusual event”, he added.

A lawyer advising some of the families affected by the crash said the findings were “deeply concerning”.

Demetrius Danas, an aviation lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “We’re continuing to speak with and advise families who’ve been affected by the Air India crash.

“Understandably, all they want is to be provided with answers.”

The only surviving passenger on the plane was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who previously told The Sun it was a “miracle” he was alive but felt “terrible” he could not save his brother Ajay.

Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities.

If the final investigation takes more than a year to complete, an interim report would be issued on the anniversary of the crash, Professor Braithwaite said, adding that interim recommendations could be made at any time.

The preliminary report says that all crew members had been breathalysed on their arrival at Ahmedabad airport, which found they were “fit to operate the flight”.

No significant bird activity was spotted near the flight path and the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall.

Investigators have identified “components of interest for further examinations”, the report says.

Fuel samples taken from tanks used to refuel the aircraft were “satisfactory”.

Statements have been taken from Mr Ramesh and witnesses by investigators, who will also be looking at the post-mortem examination reports of the crew and the passengers.

An Air India spokesman said: “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 spokesman added: “Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators.

“We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (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 inquiries to the AAIB.”

Report reveals new details of Air India crash, but questions remain

Imogen James

Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

Late on Friday night, a preliminary report was released on the Air India crash that killed 260 people on 12 June shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad.

It drew no conclusions, but found that the fuel switches – which turn the engines on and off – were in the cut-off position moments before the plane crashed.

Voice recordings from the cockpit reveal that there was confusion between the two pilots over how the switches were cut off. One of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut them off, the other pilot responds that he did not do so.

India’s aviation minister has urged people not to jump to conclusions, as a US aviation watchdog says the investigation will “follow the facts”.

Families of some of the victims have been demanding answers. One man tells the BBC he has been left with more questions than answers following the release of the report.

The investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with assistance from the US National Transportation Safety Board, continues.

A final report is due to be released next year.

We’re now bringing our live coverage to a close, but you can keep up to date with everything we know and read more about why the cockpit audio deepens the mystery of Air India crash.

The sole survivor of the Air India crash has helped carry his brother’s flower-heaped coffin to a crematorium in the western Indian coastal town of Diu, days after they plummeted into the ground shortly after takeoff.

With bandages still on his face and arm, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, who was discharged from hospital on Tuesday, broke into sobs and was consoled by relatives.

Just six days earlier, the Leicester businessman had been sitting with his brother Ajay on the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad after taking off.

All 241 other passengers and crew onboard the flight last Thursday died, as did at least 30 people on the ground, including five medical students.

Ramesh and his brother, who was sitting a few rows away, had been heading back to the UK after holidaying with family in India. Ramesh escaped through a small space by his seat and stumbled through the flames and smoke into the arms of rescuers.

View image in fullscreen The funeral of another Air India victim, Mariam Syed, who died with her husband and children, is held in Mumbai. Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA

“It’s a miracle I survived,” he told the Sun. “I am OK physically, but I feel terrible that I could not save Ajay.”

The streets were filled with mourners as Ramesh walked with his brother’s coffin on his shoulder, his mother beside him in a monsoon-rain-drenched blue sari. More than a dozen of the crash victims were from Diu, a beach town on the Arabian Sea once ruled by the Portuguese.

The funeral was held as the Wall Street Journal reported that crash investigators believe flight 171’s emergency power system, known as a ram air turbine (RAT), was deployed during takeoff.

Establishing the definitive cause of the crash could take years. But the preliminary finding prompts questions about whether the plane’s engines functioned properly in the crucial moments after takeoff.

Flight data from Flightradar24 showed that the Dreamliner climbed to 625 feet. Moments before the plane crashed, the pilot made a distress call: “Thrust not achieved … falling … Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”

A CCTV video clip showed the plane begin to descend about 17 seconds after takeoff.

View image in fullscreen Air India’s chair said the aircraft’s maintenance history showed nothing of concern. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

The RAT is a small propeller that drops from the underside of the Dreamliner’s fuselage to provide emergency electricity. While the engines usually supply power for electrical and flight-control systems, the RAT is designed to step in when normal systems fail. It is considered a last resort in aviation emergencies.

“The most common occurrence is when a pilot thinks that both engines failed,” Anthony Brickhouse, a US-based aerospace safety consultant, told the Wall Street Journal. He said in commercial aviation, “a dual engine failure is extremely rare … Our engines today are more efficient and reliable than ever.”

Though widely praised for its fuel efficiency and long range, the 787 Dreamliner has been dogged by quality control issues. Last week’s crash was the first fatal incident involving a 787, but its fallout could be far-reaching.

Boeing, which manufactures the aircraft, and GE Aerospace, which makes the engines, had declined to comment, the newspaper said.

Findings from the wreckage suggest the flaps and other control surfaces were correctly configured for takeoff, indicating the flight crew followed standard procedures, the newspaper said, citing investigators.

The report comes a day after India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said its own inspections found no “major safety concerns” in the Dreamliner fleet but did flag recurring maintenance issues.

Air India’s chair, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, told the Times Now Indian news channel on Wednesday that the aircraft had nothing of concern in its maintenance history.

He said the right engine was installed in March, and the left engine was serviced in 2023. Chandrasekaran added he expected preliminary findings to be out in 30 days. “Everybody needs closure,” he said. “We need to know.”

So far, DNA tests have identified 190 of the badly burned victims, and the bodies of 19 have been handed to their families, the Press Trust of India reported. Forensic teams are working around the clock to identify the dead.

As of Wednesday, at least 13 Dreamliner flights were grounded and the DGCA confirmed that 66 Boeing 787 flights had been cancelled since the crash. Air India officials cited “technical issues” and “extended precautionary checks” as the reasons for the cancelled flights.

The schedule disruptions are the latest blow to the Tata Group-owned airline’s ambitious overhaul of the former state-owned carrier, and the timing could not be worse, with summer travel demand surging.