One year after an Air India passenger jet crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing over 260 people, families of the victims are still waiting for answers about what caused one of the world's deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, came down less than a minute after take-off on 12 June 2025. All but one of the 242 people on board were killed, along with 19 people on the ground when the aircraft struck a medical college hostel.
The anniversary comes with India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) yet to issue a final report, which investigators had been expected to complete around the first anniversary of the crash.
The anniversary also coincides with the expiry of the one-year timeline recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the submission of a final accident investigation report.
In a post on X marking the first anniversary of the Air India Flight AI171 crash, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu indicated that the investigation into the disaster has yet to be completed.
"Today, as we mark one year since the tragic Air India Flight AI-171 accident, we remember with profound sorrow those who lost their lives and extend our heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones," Naidu said.
"The investigation continues with diligence and professionalism in accordance with established national and international procedures. We remain committed to a thorough and objective determination of the causes of the accident and to further enhancing aviation safety," he added.
The statement is the clearest indication yet from the government that the inquiry remains ongoing, despite expectations that the final report would be released around the first anniversary of the crash.
Instead, the probe has been delayed as authorities continue examining critical evidence linked to the aircraft's GE Aerospace engines and associated control systems. Investigators are expected to issue a status update or interim report, with a final report now likely within the next three months, according to people familiar with the matter.
The preliminary report released last year found that both engine fuel control switches moved almost simultaneously from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" seconds after takeoff, starving the engines of fuel and causing a catastrophic loss of thrust.
The report, however, stopped short of assigning blame or identifying the cause of the switch movement, and Indian authorities have repeatedly cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation is completed.
The prolonged investigation has fuelled speculation and competing theories ranging from technical malfunction to human action.
The Federation of Indian Pilots this week renewed its demand for a judicial inquiry and opposed the release of any interim report, arguing that partial findings could lead to confusion and misinterpretation before the investigation is complete.
For Air India, the disaster became the biggest crisis since the airline's acquisition by the Tata Group and threatened to overshadow efforts to rebuild its reputation through an ambitious fleet renewal and transformation programme. Over the past year, Air India and Tata Group companies have focused on compensation, family assistance and support for the survivor and victims' relatives.
Air India said it has paid interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh to 96 per cent of affected families, while Tata Sons, through the AI171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, has provided ex gratia assistance of Rs 1 crore to more than 90 per cent of eligible families. Combined disbursements have reached nearly Rs 300 crore.
The airline has also begun the process of final compensation settlements and the return of personal belongings recovered from the crash site.
Yet for many families, compensation has not brought closure.
Some relatives continue to press for a permanent memorial at the crash site in Ahmedabad, while others say meaningful closure can come only after investigators determine exactly what caused the disaster.
The crash remains one of the most consequential aviation accidents in recent years, drawing participation from international investigators, including experts from the United States, as authorities scrutinise aircraft systems, engine controls and cockpit data.
The final report is expected to carry significant implications not only for Air India and Boeing but also for the global aviation industry, given the previously unblemished fatal accident record of the 787 Dreamliner.
A year after the tragedy, however, the central question remains unanswered: why the aircraft lost power moments after takeoff and whether the sequence that led to the crash was caused by human action, mechanical failure or a combination of factors.
Until investigators provide a definitive answer, families and the aviation industry remain without closure on the cause of the crash.
