AAIB Slams Italian Media Claim on Air India Crash, Says Probe Still Underway

The AAIB states that the Air India AI-171 crash investigation remains active and technically ongoing. It rejects claims of finality or an intentional act, emphasising evidence-led analysis, adherence to international standards, and the need for careful reporting to avoid undermining the inquiry.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has rejected an Italian media claim that the Air India Flight AI-171 inquiry is over and has blamed an "intentional act". The bureau said the AI-171 probe is still active, no final view exists, and warned that speculative reporting may alarm the public and damage confidence in the investigation.

Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad airport in June 2025. The aircraft hit a medical students' hostel complex near the runway. Authorities confirmed 260 deaths, including people inside the hostel, while only one passenger survived, making it one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent decades.

Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation and AAIB response

Responding to Italian daily Corriere della Sera, the AAIB said claims that investigators had ruled out technical failure and finished the report were wrong. The bureau described the suggestions that the crash was caused by an "intentional act" as "incorrect and speculative", stressing that the formal process remains incomplete and still examines all possible scenarios.

The AAIB said the enquiry is guided by the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, along with India’s duties under ICAO Annex 13. Officials stressed that aircraft accident investigations are technical, evidence-led exercises. The stated aim is to identify causes and improve aviation safety, rather than fix blame before the analysis is finished.

The agency reminded readers that its preliminary document, released earlier, contained only verified facts available at that time. That initial report did not offer conclusions or assign responsibility. The AAIB said the final Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation report will include findings and safety recommendations and will be released only after the enquiry is fully completed.

Officials urged news outlets to act with care while covering the Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation. The AAIB warned that reports based on unverified leaks or guesswork can generate needless fear among travellers and families. According to the bureau, such coverage may also interfere with the integrity of a professional investigation that must follow strict international standards.

Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation and reported Italian claims

Corriere della Sera reported that investigators examining the Ahmedabad crash had allegedly concluded it did not arise from a technical defect but from an "intentional act". The newspaper, citing two unnamed sources linked to recent India–US discussions, claimed Indian investigators suspect a deliberate fuel cut-off to the engines rather than a mechanical malfunction.

The same report said United States experts helping the Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation considered the supposed findings "a breakthrough." It also suggested that officials were preparing to draft the final investigation document. However, the article relied entirely on anonymous sources, and Indian authorities have not issued any final report matching those claims.

Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation and preliminary fuel-cut details

In July 2025, the AAIB’s preliminary report on the Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation stated that, moments after take-off, the aircraft’s fuel control switches moved from the "run" to the "cut-off" position. This action led to a sudden loss of engine power soon after the Dreamliner left the Ahmedabad runway.

The preliminary document also cited cockpit voice recordings. It noted that one pilot asked the other why the fuel supply had been cut, while the other replied that this action was not carried out. At that stage, the AAIB avoided attributing responsibility and repeated that the broader Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation was ongoing.

Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation and reported focus on cockpit crew

According to Corriere della Sera, investigators believe the commander switched off the engine fuel control switches, which caused the loss of thrust. The newspaper named Captain Sumeet Sabharwal as pilot-in-command and First Officer Clive Kunder as co-pilot during the Ahmedabad flight that crashed shortly after departure.

The Italian report said that "responsibilities remain unclear" but still described Captain Sabharwal as the "main suspect" and claimed, citing sources, that Captain Sabharwal had suffered from depression. Indian officials have not confirmed those assertions. The AAIB has again stressed that only the final Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation report will contain firm conclusions and safety proposals.

Key known facts about the Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation are set out below for clarity.

The AAIB has restated its commitment to transparency, procedural discipline and strict aviation safety standards as it continues the Air India Flight AI-171 crash investigation. Officials maintain that only a completed, evidence-backed final report can determine causes and responsibilities, while media speculation and unnamed-source claims remain outside the official record.