Priyanka Chaturvedi seeks early AI-171 crash report, closure for families

Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi has urged civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu to expedite the investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 crash and make the final report public, saying families of the 260 victims are still waiting for answers nearly a year after the tragedy.

In a letter to the minister ahead of the first anniversary of the 12 June crash, Chaturvedi highlighted the continued anguish of bereaved families and called for greater transparency in the probe.

“As the nation approaches the first anniversary of the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 on 12 June, which resulted in the loss of 260 lives, I wish to convey the growing concern of the bereaved families who continue to await the final findings of the investigation into the incident,” she wrote.

The Rajya Sabha MP pointed to the efforts of family members who continue to seek clarity about the circumstances surrounding the crash, citing the example of late pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s 92-year-old father.

“The continued efforts of the 92-year-old father of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal to seek clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding the accident underscore the deep anguish experienced by many affected families. Their pursuit is not merely for information but for closure founded upon an objective and credible determination of facts,” she said.

Chaturvedi stressed that the completion of one year since the accident makes it imperative for authorities to update families on the progress of the investigation and reassure them that all aspects of the tragedy are being thoroughly examined.

“As we commemorate one year since this heartbreaking event, it is both appropriate and necessary that the families affected by the tragedy receive clarity on the progress of the investigation and confidence that every effort is being made to establish the facts and draw the necessary lessons from them,” she wrote.

Seeking the minister’s intervention, Chaturvedi said the families of the victims deserve both justice and closure, adding that the timely publication of the final investigation report would help answer lingering questions and restore public confidence in the inquiry process.

“I shall be grateful for your personal attention to this matter and look forward to your response,” she added.

The crash of Air India Flight AI-171 on 12 June last year claimed 260 lives and remains under investigation, with families continuing to await the final findings as the anniversary of one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters approaches.

With IANS inputs