The Supreme Court Today (Aug 8) dismissed a PIL demanding an independent safety audit of Air India, questioning why only this airline was targeted. A separate plea for grounding Boeing aircraft is still under review.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami.
He had requested the Court to set up a special committee, headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, to carry out an independent audit of Air India’s safety standards and aircraft maintenance systems.
In addition to this, Goswami had also asked the Court to direct a full safety check of all Air India planes by an international aviation safety organization, to ensure passengers’ safety.
But the Supreme Court Bench, which included Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, was not convinced. They questioned the reasoning behind targeting only Air India for this kind of audit.
“Why just Air India? What about others?”
-the judges asked.
After this pointed question, the Court dismissed the petition.
Meanwhile, a different petition is still pending in the Supreme Court, which asks for the suspension of all Boeing aircraft operations by Air India until a proper safety audit is completed.
This second plea gained attention after a recent tragic accident, where an Air India Boeing aircraft operating on the Ahmedabad to London route crashed, resulting in the death of 241 people onboard and 29 people on the ground.
DETAILS OF AIR INDIA CRASH
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, took off from Ahmedabad Airport, bound for London Gatwick. Mere seconds after takeoff, at around 13:39 IST, the aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel within the campus of B. J. Medical College, located just 0.9 nautical miles from the runway.
The crash resulted in 241 fatalities aboard the flight (comprising 230 passengers and 12 crew), with one survivor, a British national. Additionally, 19 people on the ground were killed, and 67 were seriously injured during the impact.
This marked the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model known for its strong safety record.
A preliminary investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that both engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff due to their fuel control switches being moved from RUN to CUTOFF, though investigators have not determined the cause for this action.
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | June 12, 2025, around 13:39 IST |
| Flight | AI 171 (Ahmedabad → London Gatwick) |
| Aircraft Model | Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner |
| Occupants | 230 passengers, 12 crew |
| Onboard Fatalities | 241 (all except one survivor) |
| Ground Casualties | 19 killed, 67 injured |
| Sole Survivor | British national (sustained minor injuries) |
| Crash Site | Hostels of B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad |
| Investigation Note | Engines lost power due to fuel switch movement; cause undetermined |
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