'Report wrong, won't accept': Families of victims on Air India crash preliminary report

Flight 171 was headed for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad at 1:45 pm (IST) when it crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.

Families of victims who died in the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 on June 12 have raised serious concerns over the preliminary investigation report, saying it unfairly attributes the disaster to pilot error while ignoring broader safety and technical questions.

The report, released in the wee hours of Saturday, stated that the switches controlling fuel flow to both engines appeared to have been turned off shortly before takeoff, resulting in a fatal loss of thrust. Audio from the recovered cockpit voice recorder allegedly captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel supply was cut, with the latter denying having done so.

Several bereaved families have, however, contested the findings, saying they are inconclusive and appear to place undue blame on the two deceased pilots, who are unable to defend themselves.

“This report is wrong. We don’t accept it,” says Ameen Siddiqui, whose brother-in-law Akeel Nanabawa died in the crash along with his wife and young daughter.

“How can critical fuel switches be turned off right before takeoff ...was it pilot error, or something else?” Siddiqui questions, as per a report by The Telegraph.

Siddiqui has refused a compensation offer from the airline and intends to take legal action to seek accountability, it has been learnt from the report.

“We have seen videos showing the condition of some aircraft. Maintenance and safety need to be questioned. We deserve answers,” he says.

Another relative, Imtiyaz Ali Syed, who lost his brother, sister-in-law, and their two children, said the report lacked clarity. “I’ve read it multiple times, but it offers no closure. Just technical terms, no firm conclusions,” he has been cited by The Telegraph. “We need the full cockpit voice recording reviewed by independent experts.”

Not just them.

Sameer Rafik, who lost his cousin Faizan, also said he found it hard to believe that the pilots made such an error. “Both had thousands of hours of flight experience. It doesn’t make sense that they would cut off fuel at takeoff,” he has been cited by the BBC. “Until we hear the full cockpit recording, it’s difficult to trust this version.”

Flight 171 was headed for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad at 1:45 pm (IST) when it crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. The sole survivor was 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.