Govt Slams Foreign Media for ‘Irresponsible’ Coverage of Air India Crash, Urges Patience Until Investigation Concludes

The government on Thursday sharply rebuked foreign media outlets for what it described as “irresponsible” and “unverified” reporting on the Air India flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad, calling on the international press to refrain from drawing conclusions until the full investigation is complete. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, through its Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), issued the statement after preliminary findings from the June 12 disaster—where a Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people—sparked global headlines blaming pilot error.

The fatal incident, which claimed all but one of the 242 on board, marked the first deadly crash involving a Boeing 787. The aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel seconds after takeoff. The AAIB’s preliminary report, released last Saturday, outlined that fuel to both engines was cut off almost simultaneously, leading to rapid loss of engine power. Cockpit voice recordings revealed confusion among the pilots, with one asking the other why the fuel cutoff occurred and receiving a denial in response.

While the report detailed the technical sequence of events—including the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches being triggered one second apart—it stopped short of assigning blame or cause. The AAIB stressed that no action had yet been recommended for operators of Boeing 787-8 planes and that both the captain and first officer were experienced professionals.

However, major international publications, including The Wall Street Journal, reported that pilot error was likely, specifically implicating the senior pilot based on cockpit recordings. The ministry criticized such reports as selective and unverified, warning that speculation while investigations remain underway is unfair to families of the victims and may misrepresent the facts.

Air India’s CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson responded to the speculation, highlighting that the preliminary AAIB report found no mechanical, maintenance, or fuel quality issues. He called for restraint from all parties, emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing and the report has neither established any cause nor made recommendations. Wilson assured that, as a precaution, all Boeing 787 aircraft in Air India’s fleet had been inspected under regulatory oversight and cleared for service.

Public reaction in India has been measured, with many voices on social media echoing the government’s concern over premature condemnation of the crew and demanding respect for the official investigation process. Some experts note that, while cockpit actions are being scrutinized worldwide, assigning fault prior to a full analysis could hinder a fair assessment.