Times Now Impact: India Ropes In ICAO In Ahmedabad Air India Crash Investigation
In a major Times Now newsbreak impact, sources have revealed that India has allowed the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to act as an observer in the investigation into the deadly crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad.
Times Now has learned that ICAO has been granted "observer status" in the spirit of transparency, with a caveat that it will provide technical assistance but not meddle with the probe of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). This move underscores India's commitment to international aviation safety norms and fosters trust in its investigation processes, sources said.
The development comes after a Times Now exclusive report revealed that International Civil Aviation Organisation Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar had written to India, requesting the appointment of an ICAO expert observer in the investigation.
Boeing 787-8 crashed on June 12 shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, leaving 270 dead, including 241 passengers. The AAIB initiated an investigation and constituted a multidisciplinary team on June 12 to probe the crash.
ICAO Reaches Out To Join AI-171 Crash Probe
In an exclusive mail trail, accessed by Times Now, International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is a specialised UN body that oversees global civil aviation, reached out to India and recommended joining the AI 171 probe.
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar's mail forwarded by Anshu Mali Rastogi suggests that an observer could "reinforce the integrity and credibility of the investigation." The mail is addressed to the DG office of the DGCA, the DG of the AIB, and other joint secretaries in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The letter said, "In light of the critical nature of this investigation and the significant public interest it has garnered, we would like to propose that an expert observer by ICAO could be appointed. This observer would ensure that all international protocols and best practices are followed meticulously, thus reinforcing the integrity and credibility of the investigation process."
Where does the Air India crash investigation by AAIB stand?
Presently, data from the black boxes of the plane has been successfully downloaded and is being analysed.
"The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on June 25, 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB Lab," the government said in a release.
The black boxes - a flight data recorder, or FDR, and a cockpit voice recorder, or CVR - were damaged in the fatal crash, raising questions on how much data would be usable. But the team led by DG Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with technical members from AAIB and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have begun the data extraction process.
The analysis of the Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR), which are underway, aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences, the government said.
Additionally, a high-level, multidisciplinary committee led by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has also been formed to probe the crash. The panel will submit its report within three months, which is expected to focus on formulating Standard Operating Procedures for preventing such occurrences in the future.
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