Regulator Orders Checks After Air India Crash

Two major Indian pilots' associations have rejected claims of human error in the deadly Air India crash that killed 260 people, following a preliminary report indicating the plane’s engine fuel switches were turned off. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's initial findings did not assign blame, but recorded a cockpit exchange where one pilot queried the fuel cutoff and the other denied involvement. The pilot unions condemned speculation—especially insinuations of pilot suicide—as baseless and insensitive, urging a thorough, fact-based investigation. They have criticized the lack of transparency and called for the inclusion of qualified personnel in the inquiry. In response to the findings, India's aviation regulator has ordered checks on fuel switch systems across all Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft operated by Indian airlines. The unions continue to urge restraint from media and experts pending the final report.