The Indian agency investigating the June 12, 2025, Air India crash that killed 260 people anticipates completing a draft of its final report in October, according to an affidavit filed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with the Supreme Court. The agency stated it is currently in the analysis phase of the investigation, which is expected to conclude in approximately six weeks.
The tragedy occurred shortly after an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner departed from Ahmedabad airport in western India. The aircraft crashed approximately 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the airport, impacting a building used as doctors' accommodation and resulting in an explosion.
Of the 260 fatalities, 241 were on board the aircraft, and 19 were on the ground. Only one passenger, Viswashkumar Ramesh from Leicester, survived the crash.
The AAIB initiated its investigation shortly after the incident and released a preliminary report in July 2025. On the first anniversary of the crash, the bureau indicated that significant progress had been made in analyzing evidence but offered few specific details.
In the recent affidavit, the AAIB reported completing 49 of the 66 mandated steps for investigating serious aircraft accidents. These steps included examining the crash site and wreckage, collecting evidence such as flight recorders, and reviewing records including crew medical histories and training. The agency also stated that a review of organizational culture, human factors, and safety practices was conducted, along with a psychological autopsy and evaluation, the results of which have been received.
The AAIB has prepared a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder but has not disclosed its contents. The preliminary report from July 2025 indicated that moments after takeoff, fuel-control switches moved to the "cut-off" position, leading to a loss of engine power. Audio from the cockpit captured a pilot questioning the action, with the other pilot denying involvement, though the report did not identify who made the statements.
This ambiguity in the preliminary report fueled speculation in some foreign media outlets, suggesting investigators were focusing on the senior pilot. Such reports drew criticism from the pilots' associations in India, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's father, and the AAIB itself. In its affidavit, filed in response to a lawsuit by Sabharwal's father seeking an independent investigation, the AAIB stated that media speculation has regrettably caused some witnesses to become less responsive.