Thu Jul 17 07:50:58 UTC 2025: **Headline: Pilots’ Union Defends Crew of Crashed Air India Flight, Demands Respectful Investigation**
**New Delhi, July 17, 2025:** The Air Line Pilots’ Association – India (ALPA India) has vehemently defended the crew of Air India flight AI 171, which tragically crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 260 people. In a statement released today, ALPA-India emphasized that the pilots “made every possible effort” to protect the passengers and minimize harm on the ground, deserving respect and not “unfounded character judgments.”
The statement comes in the wake of a preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on July 12, which detailed that the aircraft’s fuel switches were cut off within a second of each other immediately after takeoff, causing confusion in the cockpit before the crash. While the report did not draw any conclusions, some have speculated about possible pilot error.
ALPA-India has been pressing for a transparent and thorough investigation into the crash since it occurred. The union stated that pilots are trained professionals who dedicate themselves to the safety of hundreds of lives and are entitled to a “fact-based and respectful discourse.” They called on all parties to avoid speculation and await the full results of the official investigation.
The ill-fated Air India Boeing 787-8 was en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick when it crashed into a building shortly after takeoff. The wreckage remains at Ahmedabad Airport. ALPA India is a member of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA).
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