NEW DELHI: The investigation into the Air India AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives in June 2025, is in its final stage, and the report is expected to be made public within a month, Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu stated on Friday.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event at GIFT City in Gujarat, Naidu emphasized that the probe is being conducted with “seriousness, fairness, and transparency” due to the international scrutiny surrounding the disaster. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been carrying out an independent investigation with full support from the government.
Investigation Under International Scrutiny
“Investigation is going on very strongly. We have to understand one thing that when foreign nationals were travelling on the plane that crashed, it (the probe report) will be up for scrutiny by any country. Any country or organisation can raise questions,” Naidu was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He added that the investigations must be conducted with seriousness, fairness, and transparency, and they are being done in that spirit.
The minister confirmed that the probe has reached its concluding phase, and the findings are likely to be made public within a month. “The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting independent investigations and, whatever resources they have asked for, we have been providing,” he said.
Compensation and Support for Victims’ Families
Naidu also addressed concerns regarding compensation and assistance for the victims’ families. He stated that the civil aviation ministry continues to coordinate through a dedicated cell set up after the crash. “We are monitoring the situation. We have a cell in the ministry, which is coordinating compensation and other things announced at that time. If someone has any issue, we will look into it,” he said in response to worries raised by some families about Air India’s handling of compensation and support.
Demands for Greater Transparency
The minister’s comments come amid growing demands from victims’ relatives for more transparency in the investigation. Around 30 families from across Gujarat recently wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the release of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) black box data to help uncover the cause of the crash.
Details of the Crash
Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft bound for London Gatwick, crashed into a medical college hostel complex shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025. The aircraft burst into flames on impact, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground, making it one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
