Minister Rejects Italian Report on Air India Ahmedabad Crash Probe

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, has strongly rejected a recent report by an Italian daily, *Corriere della Sera*, which claimed that Indian investigators were preparing to conclude that the Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad was a result of an intentional act by one of the pilots. Mohol, speaking on Saturday, February 14, 2026, emphasized the need to 'have faith in our own agencies, not outsiders' and reiterated that the investigation into the tragic accident is still in progress. The *Corriere della Sera* report, published around February 11-12, 2026, cited unnamed sources and alleged that the probe into the June 12, 2025, crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner found no technical defects, suggesting that the aircraft's fuel control switches were intentionally moved to the 'cut-off' position by the pilot-in-command, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal. The report went further to name Captain Sabharwal as the main suspect, alluding to depression as a possible factor, though this claim remains unconfirmed by Indian authorities. In response to these speculative reports, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had already issued a statement on Thursday, February 12, 2026, firmly dismissing such suggestions as 'incorrect and speculative.' The AAIB clarified that the investigation is a technical and evidence-based process, conducted strictly in accordance with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and India's obligations under ICAO Annex 13, which governs international standards for aircraft accident investigations. The bureau stressed that no final conclusions have been reached and urged media organizations to exercise restraint to avoid causing unnecessary public anxiety and undermining the integrity of the ongoing professional investigation. The Air India Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed moments after takeoff on June 12, 2025, resulting in the loss of 260 lives, including 241 passengers and 19 individuals on the ground where the aircraft plummeted onto a medical students' hostel. This incident stands as one of India's deadliest aviation disasters in recent decades. A preliminary report released by the AAIB in July 2025 had indicated that moments after takeoff, the aircraft's fuel control switches were indeed moved from the 'run' to the 'cut-off' position, leading to an immediate loss of engine power. The cockpit voice recorder also captured a chilling exchange where one pilot was heard asking the other why the fuel was cut off, to which the second pilot responded that they had not done so. However, at that preliminary stage, Indian authorities had explicitly refrained from assigning blame. This is not the first instance where Indian authorities have expressed concern over foreign media speculation regarding the AI171 crash. In July 2025 and October 2025, the then Union Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, had also criticized Western media outlets, including *The Wall Street Journal* and Reuters, for publishing reports that prematurely pointed to pilot error, suggesting 'vested interests' in their narrative. He had then, similar to Minister Mohol, called for patience and trust in the official investigative process. The Supreme Court of India, cognizant of the public anxiety and the need for closure, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, had directed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to complete its probe into the AI171 crash within three weeks. This judicial intervention underscores the high national importance attached to uncovering the definitive cause of the accident. Until the AAIB's final report is officially released, any claims of intentional pilot action or definitive causes remain unverified speculation, as reiterated by the Union Minister and the investigating agency.

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