Air India Boeing 787 Crash Anniversary Marked as Families Await Final Report

Friday marks one year since Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed into a medical college hostel in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff. The accident killed 242 people on board except one survivor and 19 people on the ground, for a total of 260 deaths, and injured 67 others.

Families of the victims gathered at the crash site on Friday to mark the anniversary. Relatives are still awaiting a final report from Indian investigators into the cause of the crash.

Bureau published a preliminary report one month after the accident. The 15-page document stated that fuel supply to the engines had been cut off moments before impact and included a brief cockpit exchange between the captain and copilot on the fuel switches.

The preliminary report did not identify why the switches were turned off or issue safety recommendations to Boeing or GE Aerospace. Under international rules, a final report is due within one year if possible; otherwise an interim statement is required on each anniversary.

Media reports citing unnamed sources indicate that investigators will issue an interim report and delay the final report to complete engine analysis. Engine testing occurred in April, and investigators visited France last month to examine the engine management unit.

The sole survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, received £21,500 in compensation from Air India, according to his representative. It remains unclear whether similar payments have been made to other families. Relatives met Friday at a conference with lawyers and aviation experts in Ahmedabad and planned a candlelight vigil after sunset.

The Federation of Indian Pilots union has requested that investigators obtain additional technical data from Boeing and Air India before issuing any interim report. The captain’s father has petitioned India’s top court to order an independent investigation that considers causes other than deliberate pilot action.