Why Experts Are Worried About the Air India Crash Investigation

Indian authorities has blocked a United Nations aviation expert from joining the probe into the deadly Air India crash.

Diaspora Digital Media reported that the crash occurred on June 12, killing 260 passengers during takeoff in Ahmedabad.

The aircraft was headed for London’s Gatwick Airport.

The United Nations aviation body, ICAO, offered one of its investigators to assist the Indian probe. India rejected the offer.

Two senior officials told Reuters that ICAO requested observer status for its expert, but Indian authorities denied the request.

The case has drawn global attention, with concerns over transparency and delays in releasing black box data.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the investigation, but has offered very limited public updates.

So far, the government has held only one press briefing, where no questions were allowed from the media.

Safety experts say they are concerned about the slow response in analyzing the black box flight data.

The first flight data recorder was found on June 13, and the second on June 16. Analysis took two weeks.

Critics say the delay could compromise critical evidence needed to understand what caused the accident.

Under international aviation rules, also known as Annex 13, black box data should be reviewed immediately after a crash.

This helps prevent similar incidents and supports timely safety improvements in global aviation.

India’s civil aviation ministry insists that it is following all ICAO protocols properly.

An aviation official, speaking anonymously, said updates were shared with media outlets at every critical step.

However, ICAO has previously been involved in several high-profile air disasters — but only when invited by the state.

In this case, ICAO acted on its own and offered help, showing concern about the investigation’s progress.

The UN agency had joined earlier probes like Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the Ukrainian jet shot down in 2020.

There’s still no clarity on whether the black boxes will be analyzed in India or in the United States.

Since the plane was a Boeing 787, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is also taking part in the probe.

A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, but delays could further damage public trust in the investigation.

Neither ICAO nor India’s AAIB has responded to recent media requests for official comments.

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