Aviation Authorities Probe Air India Crash After Witness Makes Fresh Claims
The Air India crash investigation has taken a fresh turn after a witness who lost family members in the Ahmedabad plane disaster described disturbing scenes inside the hospital mortuary and claimed the pilot’s body was found clutching the aircraft controls. The latest update has again drawn public attention to the ongoing probe into the AI-171 crash that killed 260 people.
The London-bound Air India flight, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed into the hostel building of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff last year. The incident remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years, with only one passenger surviving the crash.
Witness Describes Air India Crash Morgue Scene
According to incident details reported by the Daily Mail, Romin Vohra, who lost three relatives in the crash, gained access to the mortuary at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital after the accident.
Vohra reportedly worked as a pathology lab assistant at the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic and still knew staff members there. He said he entered the morgue hoping to identify the remains of his family members.
Speaking about the aftermath, Vohra claimed several bodies had been placed side by side on the floor. He described seeing severely burnt remains and body parts inside the mortuary following the Air India crash.
Among those killed were his aunt Yashmin, his brother Parvez, who worked in London, and his three-year-old niece.
Witness Claims Pilot Was Holding Aircraft Controls
Vohra alleged that he saw the body of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot commanding the ill-fated flight, placed separately inside the mortuary.
According to his account, the pilot’s body was reportedly still in a seated position and dressed in uniform. He further claimed Captain Sabharwal appeared to be holding the aircraft’s yoke, the steering mechanism used to control the plane.
The report stated that a doctor present at the mortuary also supported the witness account. However, no independent official confirmation has been issued regarding the claim.
The latest update has triggered discussion among aviation observers, with some experts suggesting the detail could indicate efforts made inside the cockpit during the final moments before impact.
Preliminary Report Raised Questions Over Cockpit Actions
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, in its preliminary report released last year, stated that fuel supply to both engines was cut off within seconds of each other shortly after takeoff.
The report also referred to cockpit voice recordings in which one pilot reportedly questioned why the fuel was cut off, while the other denied doing so. The findings led to speculation regarding possible pilot error in the Air India crash investigation.
However, Captain Sabharwal’s family and pilot associations strongly objected to the report and questioned its conclusions.
Pilot Bodies Raise Objections Before Supreme Court
Captain Sabharwal’s father, Pushkaraj Sabharwal, along with the Federation of Indian Pilots, approached the Supreme Court challenging the preliminary findings.
They argued that the report was flawed and unfairly focused on pilots who were no longer alive to respond. The Supreme Court also reportedly described such a narrative as unfortunate during proceedings linked to the matter.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu later issued an official statement urging the public not to draw conclusions before the final investigation report is released.
Authorities have maintained that the police investigation and aviation inquiry are continuing, with the final Air India crash report expected next month.