India's aircraft investigation body criticised global media for "selective and unverified" reporting on last month's crash that killed 260 people.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday accused some international media outlets of drawing premature conclusions in their coverage of the June 12 plane crash that claimed 260 lives. The agency said such reporting was "irresponsible" and risked undermining the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
The AAIB's reaction followed a report by The Wall Street Journal, which cited cockpit voice recordings suggesting that the senior pilot had cut fuel to the engines mid-air, allegedly causing a loss of thrust. The agency dismissed the report, urging patience until its final findings are released.
"It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting," AAIB stated. "We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives."
The AAIB’s preliminary report, released last week, confirmed that fuel to the aircraft’s engines had been cut off, but attributed it to confusion between the pilots over engine switch movements. It did not identify mechanical faults in the Boeing 787-8 aircraft or recommend action against the manufacturer or operators.
The 15-page document, released a month after the crash, offers the first official account of India's deadliest aviation accident in decades. The report provides insight into the moments before the crash but refrains from assigning blame or identifying root causes at this stage.
"The purpose of the AAIB's investigation and preliminary report is to provide information about 'WHAT' happened. It is too early to reach any definite conclusions," the agency said. The final report, it added, would include causes and safety recommendations.
The Air India Dreamliner was en route to London and crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board and also claimed 19 lives on the ground, injuring 67 others and damaging parts of B J Medical College in the Meghaninagar area.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 14th of August, covering the latest developments....
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, Washington's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent...
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption contin...
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 14th of August, covering the latest developments.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Record rainfall in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture has killed four people and left thousands stranded overnight at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, as torrential rain disrupted rail, bus and texi services across the prefracture and left more than 20,000 households without power.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Ebola outbreak has spread to a sixth province. A man died of the virus in Bas-Uélé in the north, the African Union’s health agency said.
At least 437 civilians were killed and 2,610 injured in Ukraine last month, according to UN investigators, marking the highest monthly civilian casualty toll since March 2022.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment