Air India Crash Probe Anchored in Truth, Not Theories, India's Aviation Minister Tells Parliament

India's Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu assured the upper house of India's parliament that the investigation into the Air India Flight AI-456 disaster is being conducted with zero bias and in full accordance with global aviation safety norms. 

In stating so, the minister who had accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the crash site and has since been running a hectic schedule, also pledged absolute transparency and integrity to the house and the people of India. 

Image Source: AmravatiInfra on X

In his first detailed statement to the Parliament since the horrific June 12 crash that killed 260 people -- one of the worst air disasters in Indian civil aviation history -- the minister emphasised that the country's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is adhering to a strict, rules-based approach grounded in data, not conjecture.

“We are guided solely by facts. Our commitment is to the truth — not to headlines, not to corporate interests, and certainly not to speculation,” Naidu said. 

He reminded the House that while the nation seeks answers, the process must be allowed to run its due course before assigning responsibility or proposing fixes.

The crash, which occurred minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London Gatwick, saw a Boeing 787-8 aircraft nosedive into a residential structure, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 civilians on the ground. A single passenger miraculously survived.

Naidu revealed that the black box from the flight -- both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder -- was decoded domestically, for the first time in a major Indian investigation. 

This technical leap, he said, allowed for an initial reconstruction of the final moments of the flight, which is being carefully studied by investigators.

Responding to questions about pilot error and mechanical failure, Naidu urged restraint, citing the AAIB’s preliminary report issued on July 12 and a follow-up clarification dated July 17, which warned against rushing to conclusions. 

“Let us respect the sanctity of investigation. The AAIB will speak through facts -- not assumptions,” he said, in an apparent rebuke to speculative coverage in some international media outlets.

The crash -- and the probe -- come at a time when India’s civil aviation sector is under heightened scrutiny. The Monsoon Session of Parliament has already seen opposition leaders raising the issue alongside national security matters, following the recent Operation Sindoor and the tragic Pahalgam terror attack.

Within this wider context, the aviation minister’s remarks are being seen by analysts as a signal of the government’s resolve to uphold procedural integrity. 

“We will not deflect. We will not delay. And we will not dilute the findings when they come,” Naidu added.

The final AAIB report is expected to be comprehensive, not only outlining the cause of the crash but also detailing mandatory safety protocols and structural changes. 

While the families of victims await answers, the government’s message in the parliament has been that accountability will be pursued, but only after the facts are found by investingating bodies.