‘I Believe In AAIB’: Aviation Minister Criticises Western Media For Coverage Of Air India Crash Investigation

Union Civil Aviation Minister stated that the government will wait for the final report from the AAIB before drawing any conclusions.

Image: ANI

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Sunday asserted that the government will wait for the final report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) before drawing any conclusions and urged western media, particularly those with vested interests, to refrain from speculative coverage.

After launching IndiGo's flight operations from Hindon Airport the minister said, "I believe in AAIB... They have done a wonderful job in decoding the black box in India itself... Making any comments until the final report comes out is not a good exercise... There is no point in jumping to conclusions at this point." 

 "AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially Western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish," he added.

Earlier this week, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) issued a strong appeal to the public and media, expressing concern over “selective and unverified reporting” by some international outlets following the tragic Air India 171 crash that claimed 260 lives.

The AAIB, operating under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, emphasised that the investigation into the Air India crash is being carried out with utmost rigor and professionalism, strictly adhering to AAIB rules and international protocols.

The Bureau cautioned that the high-profile nature of the tragedy has "drawn public attention and shock," but highlighted, "it needs to be appreciated that this is not the time to create public anxiety or angst towards the safety of the Indian Aviation Industry, particularly on the basis of unfounded facts."

The AAIB cautioned against premature conclusions and the spread of unverified information, particularly by segments of the international media, warning that such actions could compromise the integrity of the investigation.

(With ANI inputs)