June 12, 2026
Air India investigation ongoing, ‘significant progress has been made’ 1 year after crash, authorities say
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has issued an update on its investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, a year to the day after 260 people were killed as the flight from Ahmedabad to London came down.
The Boeing 787 crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport; only one person survived the deadliest plane crash in a decade.
The AAIB said investigators had undertaken “an extensive and rigorous examination of all relevant technical, operational, organizational and human factors associated with the accident.”
<figure class="placeholder-
It said that “significant progress has been made in the examination and analysis of aircraft systems, flight recorder data, engine-related components, maintenance and operational records, and other evidence relevant to the investigation.”
It said that the evidence gathered was still being analyzed and that a final report would be released once all investigative activities were complete and international processes had been met. It did not specify when or imply that the release was imminent, as had previously been reported.
The AAIB also issued a reminder that the “sole purpose” of such investigations was to “enhance aviation safety through the identification of lessons and safety recommendations, and not to apportion blame or liability,” asking all stakeholders, including the media, and the public to refrain from speculation or premature conclusions.
Families and loved ones of those killed gathered at the crash site on Friday to mark the anniversary of the disaster, placing tributes and engaging in group prayer. In all, 241 people were killed on board along with 19 more on the ground.
Precisely 200 of the dead were Indian nationals and 52 were British citizens, seven were Portuguese and one was Canadian.
<figure class="placeholder-
