The June 2025 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, is caught up in a maze of conspiracy theories and alleged technical failures, leading to gross lack of clarity. This is not the first crash where activists and official assessments are not on the same page

Despite meticulous multi-headed investigation by civil aviation authorities, many air crashes contain uncertainties that niggle away at investigators and nourish conspiracy theorists alike, even when there is broad agreement on what could have happened.

It is precisely this ambiguity that surrounds the June 12, 2025, Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, India, shortly after taking off en route to London, killing 260 people.

Since then, it has meant a series of conflicting assessments of what went wrong. They range from varying preliminary reports focusing on pilot error (fuel switches moved to “CUTOFF”) versus potential technical and manufacturing defects in the Dreamliner, amid serious charges of a cover-up.

Some key reasons for the vagueness surrounding this crash, one of the worst in Indian aviation history, are the following: 

Fuel Switch Controversy: Preliminary findings indicated that engine fuel control switches were briefly moved to “CUTOFF” shortly after take-off. However, it is unclear if this was an inadvertent, panicked action by the pilots or an uncommanded movement caused by a system malfunction.

Contradictory Reports: While initial reports pointed to pilot action, some experts argue this narrative ignores potential electrical faults, with others viewing the investigation as a “cover-up”. Others suggest a latent design defect might be involved, referencing previous safety bulletins about fuel switch locking mechanisms.

System Fault Potential: The investigation has examined if a faulty “ground-air logic system” or “air-ground sensor” failed to register that the plane was in the air, preventing proper system operation.

Whistleblower Allegations: Reports from a whistleblower a year before the crash claimed “glaring safety issues” with the 787 Dreamliner manufacturing, fuelling suspicions about the aircraft’s integrity. 

The investigation by Air India and the country’s civil aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is ongoing, with significant scrutiny on whether this was a case of pilot error or a mechanical/software failure in the Boeing 787.

A month after the crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), a division of India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, published a preliminary report on what caused the tragedy. The report mentioned a conversation between Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar. The report stated that the cockpit audio confirmed one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” And the other replied, “I didn’t.” This led to speculation that a pilot error was behind the mishap. 

The central........

© Eurasia Review