India’s Supreme Court has absolved the pilot of the ill-fated Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad, India, killing all but one passenger. The tragic incident took place on June 12, claiming the lives of 241 individuals, including 52 British nationals. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor, escaped the wreckage and described himself as incredibly fortunate despite ongoing physical and mental challenges.
The court reassured the father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of Flight AI-171, that his son bore no responsibility for the crash. Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi emphasized that the official investigation did not attribute any blame to the pilot. Captain Sabharwal, who diverted the aircraft away from a medical students’ hostel, had previously been hailed as a hero for his actions that saved numerous lives.
Following a Wall Street Journal article that criticized Sabharwal, the Supreme Court condemned the publication as biased and demanded explanations from relevant authorities in response to a petition filed by Sabharwal’s father. The petition, submitted for an impartial judicial inquiry and the termination of the current investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, argues that the incomplete probe poses a risk to future passengers and violates constitutional rights.
Preliminary findings from the investigation revealed that both fuel switches supplying the plane’s engines were inexplicably turned off shortly after reaching maximum speed, leading to the shutdown of both engines and the subsequent fatal descent. Captain Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder were in control of the flight at the time of the crash.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to review the case on November 10, alongside additional related petitions.