Received additional info about Air India crash: Congress MP to minister

Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram told Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday that he has received additional information on the Air India AI171 plane crash, which has been “formally” forwarded to the Civil Aviation Ministry for review.

 

In a letter dated January 5, Chidambaram told Naidu: “Additional information and material inputs have emerged subsequent to the issuance of preliminary findings (in July 2025). The said information has been formally shared with my office and is being forwarded to the ministry for due consideration.”

 

Keeping in mind the gravity of the incident and the scale of loss involved, he said it is imperative that the ministry and the concerned authorities examine the information received and undertake any further investigation.

   

He asked the ministry to inform “whether any further investigation, review, or reassessment has been initiated” and “whether any additional committees, expert groups, or oversight mechanisms have been constituted”.

 

Chidambaram also sought that “a comprehensive and updated status report, supported by findings and material examined, be placed on record in the interest of transparency, accountability, and public confidence”.

 

Air India’s AI171 flight, bound for London, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12 last year, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground, with only one survivor. Around 81 people on the ground were injured.

 

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s preliminary report, released on July 12 last year, said fuel supply to both engines was cut off shortly after take-off after the fuel control switches were moved to the “cutoff” position in quick succession. Though the switches were turned back on about 10 seconds later, the engines had flamed out.

 

The AAIB report did not identify which pilot moved the switches, did not rule out technical faults, and said aviation medicine and psychology experts were part of the ongoing investigation.