Air India has grounded three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for thorough investigations following a fatal crash earlier this year that claimed 241 lives.
The tragic event occurred on June 12 in Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 241 out of the 242 individuals onboard. The decision to halt operations of the latest Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners follows four significant in-flight incidents.
This development comes shortly after the Supreme Court of India hinted that the pilot of the crashed Air India flight should not be held accountable. The Court mentioned that the initial report on the crash does not point fingers at the captain, yet they will review a request from the pilot’s father for an independent inquiry.
In June, Air India Flight 171 bound for London Gatwick collided with a building shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, leading to the deaths of 241 passengers on board and 19 individuals on the ground. Viswashkumar Ramesh, a British national, miraculously survived the crash and described the ordeal as emotionally devastating. He is the sole survivor who escaped the wreckage.
Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, the father of pilot Sumeet Sabharwal, urged the Supreme Court to commission a panel of aviation experts to investigate the incident. A hearing regarding this plea is scheduled for November 10.
Sumeet Sabharwal served as the pilot-in-command, with Clive Kunder as the first officer operating the aircraft. Sabharwal demanded an independent committee to scrutinize the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash and criticized the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Earlier, Sabharwal claimed that AAIB officials insinuated that his son tampered with the plane’s engine fuel post-takeoff. The government refuted these claims, asserting that the investigation was meticulous and unbiased.
In a preliminary report released by the AAIB in July, it was mentioned that fuel control switches in the cockpit were set to “CUTOFF.” The report highlighted an exchange in the cockpit recordings where one pilot questioned the other about cutting off the fuel, to which the response was denial.
The 15-page report did not attribute specific comments to either pilot. Both pilots were seasoned professionals with a combined flying experience exceeding 19,000 hours, including over 9,000 hours on the 787 aircraft.
Among the 241 passengers onboard, 53 were citizens of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Ramesh, residing in Leicester with his family, disclosed to Sky News that he continues to endure physical discomfort post-crash, including knee, shoulder, and back pain, along with burns on his left arm. He has been offered an interim payment of £21,500 to aid in his recovery process.