On Monday, India’s Supreme Court requested the government to address a plea for an independent investigation into the Air India plane crash on June 12, which resulted in 260 fatalities.
The court’s request stems from a public interest litigation filed by the NGO Safety Matters Foundation, marking its first review of the ongoing investigation by Indian authorities.
During Monday’s hearing, the NGO’s lawyers raised concerns about including officials from the aviation safety regulator in the investigation panel, citing a “conflict of interest.”
The NGO’s plea highlighted that the investigation requires a thorough examination of the DGCA’s regulatory actions and potential oversights.
The Air India Boeing 787 crash claimed the lives of all but one of the 242 passengers and 19 people on the ground, after the aircraft lost thrust shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport.
A previous preliminary report from the Indian government indicated pilot confusion in the cockpit just before the crash, as the fuel engine switches unexpectedly flipped from run to cutoff shortly after takeoff.
The report seemed to absolve Boeing and engine manufacturer GE Aerospace (GE.N), though some family groups criticized the focus on pilot actions.
“Three members are current officers of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, leading to a significant conflict of interest,” argued Prashant Bhushan, the NGO’s lawyer, before the judges.
The court announced it would consider the need for a “fair, impartial, independent, and swift” investigation, requesting a government response.
This case follows a separate lawsuit in the U.S. filed by families of four passengers against Boeing and Honeywell, the manufacturer of the switches.
