'Premature & Speculative': US Transportation Safety Board Slams Media Reports On AI-171 Crash Investigation

Mumbai: The national transportation safety board (NTSB) backed India’s appeal against premature and unverified media reporting of the investigation into the AI-171 crash. It also reiterated the Indian investigation authority's stance that probes of such magnitude take time.

After the US-based Wall Street Journal newspaper reported that the investigation of Air India’s AI-171, that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12 killing 260 people, is now focused on the flight’s captain, AAIB had urged the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives. Without naming WSJ, it stated that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting.

AAIB had made an appeal to await publication of the final investigation report after completion of the investigation and said that it will publish updates as and when required which have technical and public interest. Just two days after the appeal, NTSB of the US, the nodal authority to globally investigate aviation accidents caused by US-manufactured aircraft, also backed AAIB’s statement and without naming WSJ, it said that the reports are premature and speculative.

Backing the Indian aviation accidents investigation authority, NTSB’s chairwoman Jennifer Homendy slammed the US media saying that investigations of such magnitude take time. “Recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash are premature and speculative. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau just released its preliminary report. Investigations of this magnitude take time. We fully support the AAIB’s public appeal, which was released Thursday, and will continue to support its ongoing investigation,” she said.

Airline pilots’ association- India (ALPA India), the Indian pilots’ body, had also criticised the report on Thursday and said that the crew made every possible effort to protect the passengers onboard and they deserve respect instead of unfounded character judgements. The association, which is a member of the international federation of airline pilots’ association (IFALPA), also called for a fact-based and respectful discourse.