US lawyer demands truth, transparency in probe of Ahmedabad plane crash

US Attorney Mike Andrews highlighted the late Ratan Tata's legacy of compassion, suggesting his presence could have prevented such hurdles faced by the grieving families

The lead US attorney, Mike Andrews, representing over 65 families affected by the tragic AI171 plane crash here, emphasised the importance of transparency and truth in the ongoing investigation.

"We want to know the truth, we want transparency and exactly what happened," Andrews told ANI. "These families want to know, and they deserve the respect to know what happened to their loved ones."

"We also met the survivor and his family. This appears to be a very humble and hardworking family that is suffering a horrific tragedy. We are currently working on several potential theories that could have caused the throttle control malfunctioning system," he added.

One area of focus is the potential impact of moisture on the system. "One question is whether or not moisture can affect the systems and cause a problem," Andrews explained.

He also slammed the ongoing compensation delays for the victims' families, noting that such a "bureaucratic process" would not have existed if former Chairperson of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata, had been alive.

Andrews highlighted the late Ratan Tata's legacy of compassion, suggesting his presence could have prevented such hurdles faced by the grieving families.

"Even in the US, we know who Ratan Tata was. We know a little bit in the US about his work ethic and his focus on being humble and taking care of his employees and so we know that if he were here today, we don't believe employees and victims and people who were on the aeroplane and on the ground would be subjected to a bureaucratic process in which they're delayed payment," he stated.

On July 26, Air India released Rs 25 lakh in interim compensation payments to the families of 147 of the 229 passengers who lost their lives in the crash and 19 others who lost their lives on the ground. These payments will be adjusted against the final compensation to be determined later.

The Tata Group has also established 'The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust' in memory of the victims. The Trust has pledged an ex gratia payment of Rs 1 crore for each deceased individual and also supports the rebuilding of the BJ Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the accident, and provides assistance to first responders, medical personnel, and other support workers affected by the tragedy.

On June 12, Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.