Air India has grounded three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for thorough investigations following a fatal crash earlier this year that claimed the lives of 241 individuals.
The tragic event occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 241 out of 242 passengers on board. The decision to halt the operation of the three most recent Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners was made after four serious in-flight incidents.
Shortly after the crash, India’s Supreme Court indicated that the pilot of the Air India flight involved in the accident should not be held responsible. The court mentioned that the initial investigation report did not implicate the captain, but they will review a request from the pilot’s father for an independent inquiry.
In June, Air India Flight 171 en route to London Gatwick crashed into a building shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, causing the death of 241 passengers on board and an additional 19 individuals on the ground. Viswashkumar Ramesh, a British national, was the only survivor of the tragic incident. Ramesh expressed being deeply affected by the trauma he experienced.
The father of the pilot, Sumeet Sabharwal, urged the Supreme Court to order an investigation by a panel of aviation experts into the crash. The court is set to hold a hearing on this plea on November 10.
Sumeet Sabharwal served as the pilot-in-command during the flight, with Clive Kunder as the first officer. Sabharwal requested an independent committee to investigate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash and criticized the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Earlier, Sabharwal claimed that officials from the AAIB had suggested that his son had tampered with the fuel supply to the plane’s engine post take-off. The government refuted these allegations, stating that the investigation was conducted meticulously.
A preliminary report released by the AAIB in July revealed that certain cockpit switches controlling fuel were moved to a “CUTOFF” position. The report also mentioned a conversation in the cockpit where one pilot questioned the other about cutting off the fuel, to which the response was denial.
The report, spanning 15 pages, did not attribute the statements to specific individuals. Both pilots had considerable flying experience, totaling around 19,000 flight hours, with over 9,000 hours on the Boeing 787.
Of the 241 passengers on board, 53 were UK citizens.
Mr. Ramesh, residing in Leicester with his family, continues to endure physical discomfort post-crash, including knee, shoulder, and back injuries, along with burns on his left arm. He has been offered an interim payment of £21,500 to aid in his recovery.