India Declines UN Participation in Ahmedabad Air India Crash Investigation

 India has declined a request from the United Nations' aviation body to permit a UN-appointed investigator to participate in the probe into the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad, according to informed sources. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which had a representative present in India, had proposed granting the investigator observer status—a request the Indian authorities turned down.

Earlier this week, the ICAO made the rare move of offering investigatory support following the tragic crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating Air India Flight AI171. The aircraft, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, resulting in the deaths of 270 individuals, including 241 passengers and crew on board. The aircraft struck a medical hostel complex, causing significant casualties and damage.

While the ICAO has provided support in previous major incidents—such as the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the 2020 crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran—those interventions were made following formal requests from the respective governments.

In a statement issued Thursday, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation provided a comprehensive update on the ongoing investigation. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) promptly initiated an inquiry on June 13, forming a multi-disciplinary team led by the AAIB chief. The team includes specialists in aviation medicine, an Air Traffic Control (ATC) officer, and official representatives from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The ministry confirmed that both black boxes—the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—were successfully recovered. One device was found on the rooftop of the crash site on June 13, and the other was retrieved from the debris on June 16.

“Analysis of the CVR and FDR data is currently underway. These efforts are aimed at reconstructing the sequence of events leading to the accident and identifying contributing factors to improve aviation safety and prevent future tragedies,” the ministry stated.

Additionally, a high-level committee headed by the Union Home Secretary is conducting a parallel inquiry. This panel is tasked with identifying systemic lapses and formulating comprehensive guidelines to prevent recurrence of such incidents.