NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader on Saturday questioned the security and maintenance lapse and possibility of “sabotage” that led to the crash of AI 171 flight in Ahmedabad leading to death of 274 people. He further pointed to past political opposition to the Boeing deal, noting that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was against it.“I am not an expert, but there are serious questions about sabotage in the Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad within 30 seconds of take off. Was there any cyber attack on the system of the plane by any enemy country, as they try to target our military installations with their cyber attacks?” he asked. “BJP was against the Boeing deal when it happened, and Praful Patel was the Minister of Civil Aviation at that time. People are afraid of travelling by air now. Maintenance is the key for the aviation sector. Who has the maintenance contract for Ahmedabad? Why was Ahmedabad selected for this? Why did the accident happen to the flight from Ahmedabad airport? The way ministers were behaving on the debris of the plane is really sad,” he said.Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar, meanwhile, urged people to focus on facts instead of the conspiracy theories regarding the crash. “Several theories are surfacing. Some retired pilots are sharing their views. Some experts are also commenting. Everyone is interpreting the situation in their own way. You should also know that one person survived this crash. So, while many people are speaking from different perspectives, I request that we focus on the facts of what actually happened,” he said.The government has set up a high-level, multi-disciplinary panel to investigate the factors behind the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI-171, which was en route from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport and claimed 274 lives.“A high level multi-disciplinary committee is constituted for examining the causes leading to the crash of the Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) on June 12, 2025. The committee will examine the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines issued to prevent and handle such occurrences and suggest comprehensive guidelines for dealing with such instances in the future,” an order issued by the civil aviation ministry read.“The Committee will not be a substitute for other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future,” the order clarified.The panel will assess the emergency response, identify the root cause, and recommend policy, operational, and training improvements. It will also draft SOPs incorporating international best practices to prevent and manage similar incidents in the future.
