The highest court in India has strongly criticized the country's aviation authorities for their handling of the aftermath of the Air India plane crash that killed 261 people in June.
Leaving only one survivor, the flight bound for Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad crashed shortly after taking off, killing 242 passengers on board and 19 others on the ground.
The court said it was irresponsible for the aviation authority to suggest through leaks to the media that pilot error had caused the disaster.
It called on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi for the government's response before it rules on a case filed by activists demanding an independent investigation.
The court said the way the aviation body released its preliminary report into the Boeing Dreamliner's crash was selective and piecemeal.
The report, published on 12 July, said that just seconds after take-off, fuel supply to the engines was cut off.
The report also indicated that one of the pilots was heard asking the other why did he cut off in a cockpit voice recording, while the other pilot denied any action on their part.
One of India's Supreme Court judges characterized suggestions blaming the pilots for deliberately shutting off fuel supply as very unfortunate and irresponsible.
This tragic incident has ignited serious concerns about the safety of India’s airspace.
The head of India’s aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), defends the country’s safety record, asserting that India's skies have always been safe.
In July, the DGCA uncovered 51 safety violations at Air India in the past year during its annual airline audit.
The families of four victims who perished in the crash have initiated a lawsuit in the U.S. against aircraft manufacturer Boeing and component supplier Honeywell, alleging negligence on their part.
The lawsuit claims that these firms failed to act despite being aware of risks associated with the aircraft's design.
