An Indian official announced on Sunday that the investigation into the cause of the Boeing 787 aircraft crash, which occurred on June 12 during takeoff from Ahmedabad in northwest India, is considering all possibilities, including the theory of sabotage.
Muralidhar Mohul, the Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation, responded to a query regarding a potential act of sabotage raised by NDTV, stating, “All hypotheses are being examined.”
This tragic incident marks the deadliest air crash worldwide since 2014, resulting in at least 279 fatalities, according to a security source who provided the toll two days post-incident.
Miraculously, one passenger seated near the emergency exit at the front of the aircraft survived. The flight included 242 individuals and crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff.
At least 38 people on the ground also lost their lives, as reported by the police source.
The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation revealed that the pilot issued a distress call immediately upon takeoff, although additional details regarding the incident remain undisclosed at this time.
Video footage released after the crash depicts the Boeing Dreamliner struggling to gain altitude before descending amidst an orange fireball.
In an interview with NDTV, Mohul mentioned that a scenario involving engine failure is among the angles being investigated.
He added, “This has never happened before.”
Mohul continued, stating that the upcoming investigation report will clarify whether both engines malfunctioned and if there were issues related to fuel supply, as well as why the engines ceased functioning.
He also remarked, “It is too early to speculate, but the cause of the incident will eventually become known,” with a report expected within three months.
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) announced on Wednesday that they are analyzing the aircraft’s black boxes, which include flight data and cockpit conversations.
The crash of the Indian airplane (Flight 171) en route to London is the first incident involving a B-787 since it entered service in 2011.
In the wake of the crash, civil aviation authorities ordered inspections of 33 other B-787 aircraft within the Indian fleet. On Sunday, Mohul emphasized that these inspections did not uncover any “faults.”
So far, forensic experts have successfully identified 260 victims using DNA analysis, and efforts to identify the remaining victims are ongoing.