Claim of ‘not a technical fault, it was an intentional act’, waiting for the final report –

Tezzbuzz Desk- A big claim has come to light in the investigation regarding the Air India flight crash that took place on June 12, 2025 in Ahmedabad. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, quoting two sources familiar with the talks between New Delhi and Washington, reported that the accident was not the result of a technical fault but could have been the result of a ‘deliberate act’. However, it is considered premature to reach any conclusion before the final reports of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are released.

According to the report, initial analysis by Indian investigative agencies has indicated that the fuel cut-off in the engine was not caused by a mechanical fault but by manual activity. That is, the fuel control switch may have been closed by hand, causing the aircraft to lose power and fall to the ground just seconds after takeoff.

It is reported that the officials are now preparing the draft of their final investigation report. American experts assisting the investigation have described these findings as “a major advance.”

Cockpit voice recordings were mentioned in the AAIB’s initial report in July 2025. In the recording, a pilot was heard asking, “Why did you cut off the fuel?” The other pilot replied: “I didn’t do it.”

The Italian newspaper also mentioned this conversation and claimed that investigators believe that one of the pilots had closed the fuel control switch.

The pilot-in-command of the aircraft that day was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, while First Officer Clive Kunder was the co-pilot. The report says that the responsibility is not completely clear yet, but the needle of suspicion is pointing towards Captain Sabharwal. After the accident, some reports claimed that he was suffering from depression.

However, Captain Sabharwal’s father has completely rejected these allegations. Demanding a new and impartial investigation, he said that the claims being made regarding his son’s mental condition are baseless. He also said that rumors related to personal life have no connection with the accident.

Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed just seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. A total of 260 people died in this accident, including passengers and those who were present in the medical hostel where the plane fell. Only one passenger survived this horrific accident.

The possibility of mechanical failure was ruled out in early technical analysis of the black box data. Instead the focus of the investigation turned to the manual movement of the fuel control switch controlling engine ignition and shutdown. According to the report, both the engines of the plane were shut down at the time of the crash.

According to Corriere della Sera, the final report may include recommendations regarding regular psychological evaluation and mental health monitoring for pilots.

At present, the eyes of the whole world are fixed on the official final report of AAIB and DGCA. Only after the final conclusion comes out, it will be clear whether this accident was a human error or the result of some other serious reason.