Amid mounting speculation over the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171, which claimed 260 lives, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has slammed media outlets for peddling “unverified and selective reporting,” particularly targeting an American newspaper for its coverage of the pilot’s alleged involvement.
According to media reports, the AAIB, in a statement, firmly stated that the investigation was far from complete. It said that its preliminary findings were strictly intended to outline the basic sequence of events. “It is premature to conclude,” the bureau asserted, calling for restraint until the final report is made public.
The controversy intensified after the AAIB’s preliminary report revealed a critical mid-flight anomaly: fuel was cut off, prompting one pilot to question the other—who categorically denied shutting it off. This detail ignited a wave of speculative reports, many suggesting that pilot error or confusion in the cockpit may have triggered the fatal crash.
Citing US officials’ assessments, the American newspaper claimed black box recordings indicate Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, “turned off the fuel control switches just seconds” before the aircraft slammed into a resident doctors’ hostel in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff. The damning insinuation has drawn sharp criticism from Indian authorities and international investigators alike.
Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), issued a scathing statement on Friday, condemning the media’s rush to judgment. “Recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash are premature and speculative. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau just released its preliminary report. Investigations of this magnitude take time,” she said.
Homendy didn’t hold back, further warning against sowing unnecessary panic: “While the accident of this dimension has drawn public attention and shock, however, it needs to be appreciated that this is not the time to create public anxiety or angst towards safety of Indian Aviation Industry, particularly on the basis of unfounded facts.”
She called out parts of the international press for distorting facts. “Certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting,” she was quoted as saying. She feels such actions are “irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing.”
She urged the public and media to avoid speculation that could harm the probe’s integrity.
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