Foreign Media Reports 'Irresponsible' on Air India Crash, Says AAIB

Air India Plane Crash: The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday issued a sharp rebuke to several international media outlets over what it called “irresponsible” and premature reporting on the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The ministry appealed for restraint and urged all to “await the final investigation report” before drawing conclusions.

In a statement, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is investigating the crash, said that unverified and selective reporting by sections of the foreign press was "irresponsible." 

“Such actions are deemed irresponsible while the investigation is still ongoing,” the AAIB said.

Air India Plane Crash Preliminary Report

The AAIB’s preliminary report, released last Saturday, revealed that fuel switches were cut off within one second of each other immediately after takeoff.

The aircraft then lost power and crashed into a medical college hostel, killing 260 people, including almost everyone on board.

“It is too early to reach any definitive conclusions,” the agency noted.

Foreign Media Under Fire for Pilot Blame

The backlash comes after major international outlets, including The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), published reports suggesting pilot error as a probable cause of the crash. 

One WSJ article claimed that a “senior pilot may have accidentally cut off fuel to both engines”, while another pointed to cockpit voice recordings indicating a possible mistake by the flight’s captain.

These reports have sparked criticism in India, with officials accusing the media of jumping to conclusions without waiting for the full context.

Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said preliminary findings did not indicate any technical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or its engines.

“There was no issue with the quality of fuel, no abnormality with the takeoff roll, and the pilots passed all mandatory medical and safety checks,” Wilson stated.