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India has declined a United Nations aviation agency offer to send an investigator to observe the ongoing probe into the deadly Air India crash that killed 260 people in Ahmedabad on June 12, according to senior sources who spoke to Reuters.
Earlier this week, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made the unusual move of offering India the assistance of one of its investigators following the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash—the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. ICAO has sent experts in the past when specifically invited, such as for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and the 2020 crash of a Ukrainian jetliner.
This time, ICAO asked for the investigator already in India to be granted observer status. Indian authorities declined, with the refusal first reported by Times Now on Thursday.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the inquiry, did not comment on the development. ICAO was also unavailable for comment.
India’s civil aviation ministry confirmed that flight recorder data was downloaded about two weeks after the crash, despite criticism from safety experts about delays in analyzing the crucial black box data.
Experts have also raised questions about the transparency of the investigation, including where the black boxes would be analyzed. While India’s National Transportation Safety Board is participating in the probe, Indian authorities have held only one press conference and did not take questions.
Under international aviation law (Annex 13), decisions about where to read flight recorders should be made immediately to ensure evidence can help prevent future tragedies.
An Indian aviation ministry official, speaking anonymously, insisted the investigation is “following all ICAO protocols” and said the media has received updates about important steps.
Most air crashes have multiple contributing factors, and a preliminary report is typically expected about 30 days after an accident.
