AHMEDABAD: Families of victims killed in the Air India AI-171 crash have written to civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, seeking regular updates on the investigation, independent simulator tests and the inclusion of an experienced Boeing 787 pilot in the probe team, while also raising concerns over compensation-related documents circulated by the airline.They also requested the ministry announce a definite timeline for the release of the final investigation report and ensure it is made public at the earliest.The letter, signed by nearly 30 families and shared with the media on Sunday, urged the ministry to ensure that the investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducted in a fair, transparent and time-bound manner.The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025, in one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades.The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground.In the letter, the families said they were not receiving adequate information about the progress of the investigation and requested the AAIB to establish a formal mechanism to provide updates every 15 or 30 days.They also sought periodic meetings with investigators to seek clarifications and raise concerns.Citing media reports, the relatives pointed out that the probe panel did not include an independent commercial pilot with experience flying Boeing 787 aircraft.They urged the government to induct an experienced Boeing 787 pilot with expertise in accident investigations into the inquiry team.The families also backed the Federation of Indian Pilots’ demand for independent full-flight simulator validation tests to verify the sequence of events mentioned in the preliminary investigation report.“The Federation of Indian Pilots has requested independent Full Flight Simulator validation tests. These tests are important because they will help check the sequence of events mentioned in the Preliminary Report,” the letter mentioned.The relatives argued that such tests should be conducted before final conclusions are drawn, adding that simulator findings reported in the media had raised questions over the theory of pilot error.The families also expressed concern over compensation-related documents allegedly circulated by Air India.They claimed that the airline was asking victims’ families to sign release forms that appeared to require them to waive legal rights not only against Air India but also against foreign firms associated with the aircraft and its systems, including Boeing, General Electric, GE Aerospace, Safran and Honeywell.Opposing the move, the families said they should not be asked to give up legal rights before the final investigation report is released and all facts surrounding the crash are established.They urged the ministry to ensure that dependents retain the right to pursue legal claims wherever permissible so that they can seek justice and fair compensation.In the letter, the families also requested the government to announce a clear timeline for the release of the final investigation report and make it public at the earliest.“We have already lost our loved ones. We only seek the truth, regular communication, a fair investigation, and protection of our legal rights,” it said.Last month, on the first anniversary of the crash, the AAIB issued an interim statement saying the final report would be released after all investigative activities, international reviews and consultation processes are completed.(With PTI inputs)
