The central government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the draft final report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in the probe conducted in the June 2025 Ahmedabad plane crash will be filed in the first week of October.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted to the bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the Federation of Indian Pilots can provide its inputs to the AAIB. The AAIB can then review and address them if deemed necessary during the investigation.
Four simulation tests were conducted, Mehta tells SC
Meanwhile, Tushar Mehta told the apex court that as sought in an application by one of the petitioners, four simulation tests have been conducted. The final draft report will be filed in a sealed cover before the bench, the law officer informed.
The apex court heard the petitions filed by a law student, the father of the deceased pilot and by an NGO, all of whom sought independent and court-monitored inquiry in the incident which killed more than 250 people in the horror Air India flight AI-171 crash with only one survivor. The bench has now posted the pleas for further hearing on October 13.
No sharing of cockpit voice recordings, airborne image recordings: AAIB
Recently, in an affidavit filed by the AAIB in the top court, it said that there is an "absolute statutory prohibition" on disclosing cockpit voice recordings and airborne image recordings from the June 12, 2025 crash to any external committee or the public.
The AAIB said that doing so will violate Rule 17(1) and Rule 17(5) read with Schedule C of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025. Before this, the Supreme Court had asked the government to give a brief report on the "procedural protocol" followed so far, following the AAIB's statement that the crash probe is at its fag end.
Solicitor General tells reason for delay
Solicitor General Mehta explained that the timeline for this was extended despite an earlier assurance, as several aircraft components had to be sent abroad for specialised forensic and technical examinations before they returned to India. This made the investigation a time-consuming process.
Air India's Boeing 787-8, operating Flight AI171 to London's Gatwick Airport, was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with Captain Clive Kunder serving as co-pilot. The aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Among those who lost their lives was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
(Inputs from PTI and ANI)
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