Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram on Monday said he has received additional information related to the Air India AI171 plane crash and has formally forwarded it to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu for review, calling for further scrutiny of the case. He said, “Transparency cannot be optional.”
In a letter dated January 5, Chidambaram informed the minister that new material had emerged after the preliminary findings were released last year. “Additional information and material inputs have emerged subsequent to the issuance of preliminary findings (in July 2025). The said information has been formally shared with my office and is being forwarded to the ministry for due consideration,” he wrote.
Call for further probe and transparency
Stressing the seriousness of the incident and the scale of loss involved, Chidambaram said it was essential for the ministry and concerned authorities to examine the information and decide whether additional investigation was required. He asked the ministry to clarify “whether any further investigation, review, or reassessment has been initiated” and “whether any additional committees, expert groups, or oversight mechanisms have been constituted”.
The Congress MP also sought greater transparency in the matter, urging the ministry to ensure that “a comprehensive and updated status report, supported by findings and material examined, be placed on record in the interest of transparency, accountability, and public confidence”.
Background of the AI171 crash
Air India’s AI171 flight, which was bound for London, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12 last year. The accident claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew members on board and 19 people on the ground. Only one person survived the crash, while around 81 people on the ground sustained injuries.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s preliminary report, released on July 12 last year, stated that fuel supply to both engines was cut off shortly after take-off when the fuel control switches were moved to the “cutoff” position in quick succession. Although the switches were turned back on around 10 seconds later, the engines had already flamed out.
The AAIB report did not determine which pilot moved the switches, did not rule out technical faults, and noted that aviation medicine and psychology experts were part of the ongoing investigation.