In brief
In a significant legal confrontation, the families of victims from Air India Flight 171, which crashed in June 2025, have filed a lawsuit against Boeing and Honeywell. They accuse the two aerospace firms of negligence, claiming they were aware of the design issues regarding fuel switches that contributed to the disaster, resulting in the deaths of 260 individuals. The legal action brings into question the safety protocols and responsibilities of manufacturers in aviation accidents.
The families of four passengers who died on an Air India jet that crashed in June have filed a lawsuit in the US against planemaker Boeing and aircraft parts maker Honeywell, accusing the companies of negligence.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday, and seen by the BBC, said faulty fuel switches caused the accident and accused the companies of doing 'nothing' despite being aware of the risks of the aircraft's design.
Air India Flight 171 bound for London Gatwick, a Boeing 787, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.
Fuel switches have become a focus for investigators after a preliminary inquiry found that fuel to the engines was cut off moments after the plane left the ground.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said earlier that fuel control switches in Boeing aeroplanes are safe.
The lawsuit alleges that both firms knew about the risk of a crash since they developed and marketed the 787 Dreamliner and its components.
A total of 229 passengers, 12 cabin crew and 19 people on the ground perished when the plane crashed.
