Air India crash: AAIB slams 'unverified and selective' reporting by foreign media on role of pilots

After The Wall Street Journal reported on the role of pilots in the deadly Air India AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, the Centre has slammed "unverified and selective" reporting.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), a wing of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, said it is too early to draw "definite conclusions" on the crash as the probe is incomplete.

The June 12 crash killed 260 people, including 241 people aboard the flight and others on the ground, after it crashed into a medical college hostel building. Only one passenger on the plane survived the crash.

AAIB said media should respect sensitivity of the loss faced by the relatives of the crash victims, adding that selective and unverified reporting is "irresponsible" as the investigation is ongoing.

Citing an US official sources, The Wall Street Journal alleged that the black box revealed that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal turned off the fuel control switches shortly after AI 171 took off. Sabharwal had more than 15,000 hours of flying experience, while his co-pilot Clive Kunder had over 3,400 fly hours to his credit.

The AAIB urged both the public and media to avoid spreading misinformation that could risk the investigation. "The purpose of the AAIB's investigation and preliminary report is to provide information about 'what' happened," AAIB stated, adding that the final report will reveal the root causes and come out with recommendations.

AAIB's preliminary investigation report revealed that the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787-8 was turned off from a "run" to a "cutoff" position. Experts claimed that the switches would not move accidentally while Air India's inspection of locking mechanism revealed that fuel control switches of its Boeing 787 fleet did not have any issues.

India