Did A Pilot Deliberately Shut Off Fuel Before Air India Ahmedabad Crash? Italian Report’s Shocking Revelation

A fresh development has emerged in the investigation into the deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, with a report claiming that the tragedy may have resulted from an "intentional act" rather than a technical malfunction.

Italian daily Corriere della Sera cited two sources involved in ongoing discussions between New Delhi and Washington, stating that investigators have leaned towards deliberate human action as the likely cause. Still, authorities have stressed that no final conclusion should be drawn until the official findings are released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Investigation Points Towards Deliberate Action

According to the report, officials examining the June 2025 disaster believe the aircraft's engines stopped after the fuel supply was manually cut off. The final document is now being prepared, while US experts assisting the inquiry have reportedly described the latest findings as "a breakthrough".

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India. It had just taken off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad when it went down within seconds. The crash claimed 260 lives, including passengers and residents of a medical students' hostel struck by the falling jet. Only one passenger survived the catastrophe.

Cockpit Recording Raises Serious Questions

An initial assessment released in July 2025 by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau documented the final cockpit conversation regarding the fuel controls. In the voice recording, one pilot was heard asking, "Why did you cut off (the fuel)?" The other replied, "I did not do so."

Revisiting the exchange, the Italian newspaper reported that investigators now suspect one of the pilots intentionally moved the engine fuel control switches, causing the plane to lose power and crash.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was in command of the flight, while First Officer Clive Kunder served as co-pilot.

Allegations, Family Response, And Mental Health Debate

The report stated, "Responsibilities remain unclear: the main suspect is Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who, as emerged a month after the crash, suffered from depression."

These claims have been strongly rejected by Sabharwal's father, who called for a fresh investigation and dismissed speculation surrounding his son's mental health. He also denied reports suggesting that personal troubles, including talk of a divorce, had caused anxiety or depression.

The upcoming final report is expected to recommend continuous psychological assessments and closer monitoring of pilots' mental wellbeing.

Focus Shifts From Mechanical Fault To Human Factors

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, investigators examined several possibilities, including technical defects and operational errors. Over time, attention increasingly centred on the cockpit's fuel control switches.

Data retrieved from the aircraft's black boxes ruled out mechanical failure and instead indicated manual movement of the switches that control engine ignition and shutdown. Both engines were found to have been turned off at the moment the aircraft went down, reinforcing suspicions that human intervention played a decisive role in the disaster.