One year after Air India crash: AAIB says AI-171 probe in final analysis stage, families still await answers

One year after Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, investigators have said significant progress has been made in determining what led to one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years. However, for families of the victims, the search for answers and closure continues.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday released a second interim report on the June 12, 2025 crash involving the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the first anniversary of the tragedy. The agency expressed condolences to the families who lost loved ones and said the investigation remains ongoing.

Flight AI-171, which was bound for London Gatwick, crashed less than a minute after departing Ahmedabad airport. Of the 242 people aboard, 241 passengers and crew members were killed, while 19 people on the ground also lost their lives after the aircraft struck a medical college hostel.

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The crash became the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and triggered one of the most closely watched aviation investigations involving Indian and international authorities.

Probe continues amid speculation and calls for transparency

The year-long investigation has attracted global attention, with authorities examining multiple aspects of the aircraft’s operation, including systems, engine controls and cockpit data. International experts including investigators from the United States, have participated in the probe.

The AAIB said that “substantial progress” has been made in examining key evidence, including aircraft systems, flight recorder data, engine components, maintenance records, operational documents and other materials collected during the investigation.

The absence of a final conclusion has led to speculation over possible causes, ranging from technical failure to human factors. The Federation of Indian Pilots recently called for a judicial inquiry and opposed the release of interim findings, warning that incomplete information could create confusion before the investigation is completed.

Under international aviation norms, accident investigations are expected to conclude within a year wherever possible, but complex cases involving advanced aircraft and multiple investigative agencies often require more time.

For Air India, the disaster represented the biggest challenge since its takeover by the Tata Group and came as the airline was undergoing a major transformation involving fleet expansion, service improvements and global growth ambitions.

The airline and Tata Group companies have spent the past year supporting affected families, providing financial assistance and helping with compensation processes.

Air India said it has paid interim compensation of Rs25 lakh to 96% of affected families, while Tata Sons, through the AI171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, has provided ex gratia assistance of Rs1 crore to more than 90% of eligible families. The combined assistance has reached nearly Rs300 crore.

The airline has also started the process of final compensation settlements and returning personal belongings recovered from the crash site.

Families seek answers as trauma continues a year later

Despite financial assistance, many families say compensation cannot replace the loss of their loved ones and that true closure depends on understanding what caused the disaster.

In the United Kingdom, where several victims were from the Gujarati community, families continue to demand clarity and transparency.

Sanjiv Patel, a community leader and crisis management adviser based in Leicester, said families affected by the crash were still struggling emotionally and financially a year later.

“Families have been striving for closure, striving for a way to move forward, for clarity, for answers,” Patel told PTI, adding that many victims’ relatives continue to seek transparency from authorities.

Leicester, home to a large Gujarati community, witnessed widespread grief following the crash, with prayer meetings held at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir after the tragedy.

Patel has also supported Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the crash, who continues to deal with severe physical and psychological trauma.

He said Ramesh remains unable to resume normal life without assistance and requires continued medical and emotional support.

Air India said it remains committed to supporting all those affected by the tragedy and has maintained constructive engagement with Ramesh and his representatives.

A year after the crash, the investigation has moved forward, but the central question remains unanswered for many families: what exactly caused AI171 to fall from the sky moments after take-off?

Until investigators deliver a final report, victims’ families say their wait for truth and justice will continue.

With inputs from agencies