The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has opposed the idea of a separate or court-monitored investigation into the Ahmedabad Air India AI-171 crash that occurred on June 12, 2025. The AAIB stated that the ongoing investigation is already being conducted under a comprehensive legal and internationally recognized framework involving multiple countries.
According to the AAIB, aircraft accident investigations are governed by the Chicago Convention, ICAO Annex 13, and the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, which they believe do not warrant any additional investigative body. The bureau emphasized that the current investigation involves specialists from various disciplines and international experts.
The AAIB highlighted the technical complexity of civil aircraft accident investigations, involving expertise in aeronautical engineering, flight recorder analysis, aviation medicine, and more. It noted the involvement of foreign investigation agencies and technical experts in the ongoing probe of the AI-171 crash.
The investigation into the AI-171 crash includes 66 mandatory investigative steps outlined in ICAO Annex 13, of which 49 have already been completed by the AAIB. The bureau mentioned that the investigation is expected to conclude within approximately six weeks, with the final report being shared with relevant stakeholders for comments.
