Air India Flight AI171 tragically crashed just 30 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 of the 261 people onboard. “The crash resulted in the deaths of 241 people onboard, leaving one passenger… as the sole survivor.”
The preliminary investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that the Boeing 787’s **fuel control switches were flipped**, cutting off fuel to both engines. “One of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so.”
Retrieving data from the black boxes took time due to damage. As aviation expert Captain Steeeve explained, “It gets much more complicated when they’re damaged… you’ve got to get the box physically out of the airplane.”
Investigators accessed 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit recordings. However, because the plane was airborne for just 30 seconds, understanding the sequence of events is complex—“like a tangled ball of yarn.”
Authorities are exploring all possibilities, including **sabotage**, as both engines failed simultaneously—“a rare occurrence,” according to Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol. A full report is expected within three months.
