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In a letter dated August 29 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), 91-year-old Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, has demanded a formal investigation into the June 12 Air India Flight AI171 crash.
He accused authorities of selective leaks and media speculation that he says have unfairly maligned his son's reputation. Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad while en route to London Gatwick, killing 241 people, including 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and several people on the ground. Only one passenger survived. In his letter, Sabharwal alleged that the preliminary investigation report submitted on July 12 was "deficient, diversionary & discrepant", noting that it failed to clearly outline the facts of the crash while appearing to shield the aircraft manufacturer Boeing and engine maker General Electric. "The preliminary report does not allude to 'what' happened... instead resorting to insinuations on the one hand and offering copious clean chits to the manufacturer/s on the other," the letter states. Sabharwal took strong objection to media reports suggesting that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was under psychological stress and may have intentionally caused the crash. He described such insinuations, some of which cited his son's divorce 15 years ago and his mother's death three years ago, as "baseless and defamatory". "These innuendos have very adversely affected my health and mental setup, and the reputation of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal," he wrote, emphasising that his son had over 25 years of spotless flying experience, with more than 15,600 flight hours, including 8,596 on the Boeing 787. He was also a designated Line Training Captain licensed by the DGCA. Citing provisions of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, Sabharwal urged the government to order a formal investigation under Rule 12, which would require appointing a competent court with assessors, including a retired Supreme Court judge and technical experts. He also requested representation for pilots, either from Air India's pilot union (ALPA-India) or a nominee of the deceased pilot's family, to ensure impartiality. Sabharwal warned against allowing the inquiry to be influenced by manufacturer representatives, drawing parallels to earlier Boeing controversies. He pointed to the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crashes, where initial blame on pilots later shifted to hidden flaws in the aircraft's software. "The formal enquiry must not fall into the same pitfall," he cautioned. The father demanded that the AAIB immediately cease sharing selective information with the media and issue a public clarification that the preliminary investigation was not intended to affix blame. He further warned that unless his requests were met within seven days, he would be "left with no option but to approach the Hon'ble Courts for protection of my fundamental rights and for the safety of the general travelling public." (ANI)
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