India's investigation into last year's Air India crash that killed 260 people has entered its final stages, with investigators completing a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder and carrying out a psychological autopsy as they work towards a final report.
The update was revealed in a court filing by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), offering the clearest picture yet of the progress made in one of the country's deadliest aviation disasters that happened 12 June 2025.
The Boeing 787 crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing everyone on board except one passenger, along with people on the ground.
The AAIB said it had prepared a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder and carried out a psychological autopsy as part of its investigation.
The filing did not identify who the psychological autopsy was conducted on or reveal any findings.
Investigators are still waiting for data retrieved from an engine monitoring unit, which was recovered in late May. They are also continuing to assess organisational factors linked to the crash.
The investigation has involved interviews with Air India Boeing 787 pilots, cabin crew who had previously flown with the accident crew, engineers who prepared the aircraft, air traffic controllers, weather officials and human factors specialists.
The AAIB also said investigators visited the homes of the flight crew's families during the early stages of the inquiry.
The bureau said the investigation has now moved into its analysis phase, with teams examining operational, technical, human factors and organisational issues before reaching final conclusions.
The court filing came after Captain Pushkar Raj Sabharwal's father filed a lawsuit over the investigation.
He said investigators visited his home last year and suggested his son had deliberately cut fuel to the aircraft's engines shortly after take-off.
The AAIB also warned that widespread media speculation blaming the pilots had affected the investigation.
It said those reports had caused some witnesses to become "restrictive and non-responsive."
The AAIB expects its remaining investigative work to be completed within around six weeks, although it said the timeline depends on several outstanding external factors.
A draft final report is expected around October. It will then be shared with countries involved in the investigation, including the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, before being finalised and published.
Reuters reported last year that an early assessment by U.S. officials found cockpit voice recordings supported the view that the captain had cut fuel flow to the aircraft's engines.
At the time, however, the AAIB urged caution.
"Too early to reach any definite conclusions," the AAIB had warned at the time.
With key technical analysis still outstanding, investigators say the final report will determine what happened and whether any safety changes are needed to help prevent a similar tragedy.
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 wh...
Central Asia’s economy has surpassed $543 billion, driven by Kazakhstan’s economic weight, strong exports and foreign investment, while growing tr...
The United Nations refugee agency is planning a settlement and carpet-weaving workshop for Afghan returnees in Kabul as the country grapples with larg...
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.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Iran to pay compensation for decades of deaths and damage, adding a new demand to peace talks as Tehran seeks compensation and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
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.
A criminal court in Damascus has sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for premeditated murder, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Ukraine has agreed to refrain from targeting certain tankers using Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk following a request from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the Financial Times reported, although Kyiv has continued strikes on Russian targets at the port.
Taiwan has criticised a planned joint naval exercise involving China and Indonesia near its eastern waters, describing it as a politically charged move designed to strengthen Beijing's claims over areas surrounding the island.
An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk killed an eight-year-old child, injured others and damaged residential buildings, port infrastructure and grain facilities, Russian officials and industry sources said on Wednesday.
Romanian military divers have destroyed two Gerbera-type drones found drifting near the Neptun Deep offshore gas development in the country’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment