A preliminary report into the devastating Air India plane crash that claimed 260 lives last month has revealed alarming details about the tragic incident. The Boeing 787, which took off from Ahmedabad en route to London, experienced catastrophic engine failure shortly after takeoff due to a critical fuel supply cut-off. Eyewitness accounts and cockpit recordings suggest a shocking miscommunication between the pilots, with one heard questioning why the fuel switches were moved to the cutoff position, while the other denied any such action.
The report highlights that both fuel switches were altered within seconds of each other, mere moments after the aircraft reached an altitude of 200 meters. The plane then plummeted to the ground, erupting into flames upon impact with a medical college hostel, killing 241 of the 242 people on board instantly, while also claiming 19 additional lives on the ground. The crash on June 12th is now recognized as the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade.
Investigators from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, alongside the US National Transportation Safety Board, are diligently examining the circumstances surrounding the crash. The two black boxes recovered from the wreckage have been analyzed, albeit with a significant delay in data retrieval that has raised eyebrows among aviation experts.
The report indicates that both pilots were experienced and well-rested at the time of the flight, casting further scrutiny on the events leading to the disaster. As families of the victims grapple with their loss, the investigation continues to seek clarity on the sequence of events that led to this tragic accident. The world watches closely as answers remain elusive in the aftermath of this catastrophic failure.