In a pivotal Supreme Court session, the government secured a 21-day extension to conclude the probe into the catastrophic Air India Flight AI-171 incident. Justice Suryakant’s bench greenlit the plea, mandating a sealed report submission ahead of the follow-up hearing. This development keeps the spotlight on one of India’s deadliest aviation tragedies.
Flashback to June 12, 2025: Ahmedabad’s runway saw Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 bound for London, lift off only to crash 32 seconds later into a nearby medical college hostel. The toll was devastating—260 fatalities, comprising Captain Sumit Sabharwal, 240 others aboard, and 19 ground victims. Preliminary analysis revealed both engines starved of fuel, stripping the jet of power.
The crash’s shadow grew when 91-year-old Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of the seasoned 56-year-old pilot, approached the apex court for a court-monitored independent investigation. Backed by the Indian Pilots’ Federation, the plea gained traction. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta explained the probe’s near-completion status, held back only by overseas lab tests on key parts.
Petitioners’ counsel Prashant Bhushan argued vehemently, referencing three Boeing 787 fuel switch failures and a pilot consensus of 8,000 voices calling for fleet grounding. A fresh incident on a London-Delhi flight led to one aircraft being sidelined by Air India, despite DGCA clearance.
Gopal Shankar Narayanan invoked the Boeing 737 Max saga, where pilot error accusations masked systemic flaws exposed later by regulators. Justice Suryakant referenced the latest fuel switch alert on another flight, chiding official downplays and urging caution in pinpointing airline faults.
This breathing room for investigators could unearth truths buried in wreckage and data. With aviation safety under scrutiny, the coming weeks may reshape trust in Boeing’s Dreamliner and Air India’s operations, as stakeholders brace for the sealed envelope’s contents.