The Supreme Court receives a plea demanding complete data from the Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, as families and experts seek full investigation transparency.
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Ahmedabad: On June 12, 2025, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, claiming over 260 lives. The disaster has led to a Supreme Court plea, international lawsuits against Boeing and Honeywell, and widespread calls for full transparency in the investigation, including the account of the sole surviving passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh.
Supreme Court Plea for Complete Crash Data
Recently, the NGO Safety Matters Foundation filed a plea in the Supreme Court of India, urging the Centre to release all data retrieved from the crashed aircraft.
The plea raises concerns over the preliminary report issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, claiming that it fails to comply with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017. Notably, the report does not incorporate the account of the sole surviving passenger, 40-year-old businessman Vishwashkumar Ramesh from Leicester.
According to the NGO, Ramesh’s testimony is crucial to understanding the exact sequence of events that led to the disaster.
Legal Action Against Boeing and Honeywell in the US
Adding an international dimension to the tragedy, families of four victims have filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Superior Court, USA, against Boeing and Honeywell International. The suit alleges a faulty fuel cutoff switch played a key role in the crash.
The lawsuit claims that flight data indicates an Air India pilot accidentally shut off fuel to the engines, resulting in a complete loss of thrust during takeoff. Both Boeing and Honeywell, according to the suit, were aware that the locking mechanism of the switch could be inadvertently disengaged, yet it remained in a high-traffic cockpit area near the thrust levers.
The families are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the wrongful deaths.
The tragedy has also deeply affected the families of the flight crew. Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who piloted the ill-fated flight, wrote to the Civil Aviation Ministry and AAIB requesting a formal inquiry.
He emphasized that premature speculations have harmed both his health and the reputation of Captain Sabharwal, which he notes is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
AAIB Preliminary Findings
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report, revealing that the fuel switches were cut off within a second of takeoff, confusing the cockpit.
The cockpit voice recording reportedly captures one pilot asking the other why the switch was turned off, with the second pilot denying responsibility.
However, the AAIB has stressed that it is too early to draw definite conclusions, and the final report will reveal the root cause. The agency has urged the public to avoid spreading premature narratives.
