6 Months On, Families Of Air India Crash Victims Say Silence Has Grown

Six months on since the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad, families of those who died say their lives remain suspended between unanswered questions, incomplete investigations and what they call a fading public memory of one of India's worst aviation tragedies in recent years.

A total of 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew members, died when a London Gatwick-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed soon after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12. Only one passenger survived. The plane was operating flight AI 171.

For Mukti, whose parents were travelling on a plane for the first time, the silence has been devastating. Her father was a farmer in Surat; they were on their way to London to meet their elder daughter.

"For us, even seeing an airport was a big deal," Mukti recalled. "It was my parents' dream to see the London Eye."

She recounts the initial weeks saw active support from officials, but that momentum has slowed. "Now, no one responds. Even Air India hasn't replied to our emails about the baggage. We just want the last belongings of our parents returned with dignity," she said.

While the family has received the interim Rs 25 lakh compensation from Air India, Mukti says they have no clarity on the Rs 1-crore support announced through the Tata Trust-linked welfare initiative.

"We have always respected Ratan Tata. That legacy should be honoured. For Air India it may be a damaged aircraft, but for us, we have lost everything," she said. Calling the accusations against the pilots "deeply unfair," she added that the truth "must be made public."

'No One Talks About The Crash Anymore'

Another family member, based in the UK and originally from Vadodara, lost his 36-year-old sister and brother-in-law in the crash. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said that while the interim compensation was disbursed, the Trust's payment remains "in process" despite all paperwork being completed.

"People don't talk about the crash anymore, apparently no one cares," he said. "We are still waiting for clarity, for the black box data. We just want to know what happened so something like this never happens again."

Investigation Still Underway, Says Centre

Earlier this month, the government told parliament that the investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is still underway. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the probe is being conducted under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and that the final report has not yet been released.

A family member of one of the victims said they are hoping for an "honest and transparent report."

"This tragedy has changed everything for us. For my parents especially, the loss is unbearable. We want closure, we want the truth," they said.

While the preliminary report was published on July 12, it contains information based on evidence gathered at that stage. The minister clarified that investigators are still examining all possible causes of the crash. The final report will be released upon completion of a comprehensive assessment, Mohol said.

Families claim that AAIB's preliminary findings offered limited clarity, flagging concerns over lack of communication and delays in access to personal belongings, concerns that persist half a year later.

Pritam, who lives in London and hails from Anand, lost both her in-laws. They too were travelling to the UK to visit their family. She has been repeatedly writing to Air India requesting the return of their baggage.

"When my mother-in-law was coming, I had asked her to bring a Bhagavad Gita for me. Now I'm just asking Air India to give me that Gita back," she said. "They either direct us to lawyers or tell us the baggage is still being processed. Six months, for what?"

She says the preliminary AAIB report "clarified nothing." "We don't know if it's an issue with Boeing or Air India's maintenance. It's our basic right to know what actually happened," she said.

On compensation, she added, "People keep asking if we received the Rs 1 crore. How are we supposed to feel about that? You're not doing us a favour. Money doesn't bring my family back. We still can't sleep. People from across the globe who have lost their loved ones to this crash have a support group, we stay in touch through that medium, everyone cries every day. We just want justice and the truth. Blaming the pilots is wrong, we want accountability, so this never happens to anyone again."

What Air India Says

In a statement to NDTV, Air India said it "stands in solidarity with the families" affected by the AI 171 accident.

"We are deeply conscious of our responsibility and are providing support and care to all families affected by the tragedy, which remains our absolute priority. Senior leaders across Tata Group continue to visit families to express their condolences."

The airline said more than 95 per cent of affected families have received interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh.

"Over 120 families have received ex-gratia support of Rs 1 crore from the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust and payment to over 80 families is in process," an airline spokesperson said, adding that the airline "remains aware of how difficult this time continues to be."

Six months on, families say their grief has only hardened into a collective demand for transparency and closure. The investigation, they stress, must not lose urgency.

"Everyone has just one question," Pritam said. "What exactly happened that day?"