Authorities have released new information following an investigation into the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash on June 12.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 airplane was carrying 230 passengers, as well as 12 crew members, from Ahmedabad in western India to London’s Gatwick Airport, before it’s fatal crash.
Just one person onboard survived the tragedy, which occurred just last month, and the cause of the crash has remained a mystery up until now.
Exactly a month following the crash on July 12, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau published a preliminary report revealing new information about the incident.
The Dreamliner crashed just minutes after takeoff, and burst into flames after crashing into a college hostel in a residential area in Ahmedabad.
The only survivor of the crash, who was sat in seat 11A, was identified by doctors as Vishwashkumar Ramesh.
Dr. Dhaval Gameti, who spoke to AP about the miracle man, said: “He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body.
“But he seems to be out of danger.”
Ramesh told DD News from his hospital bed: “I don’t know how I survived.
“I saw people dying in front of my eyes — the air hostesses and two people.
“I walked out of the rubble.”
Speculation about the cause of the crash has been rife on social media, but the preliminary investigation has seemingly revealed details that give a fresh insight.
And it was an exchange between the pilot and co-pilot that revealed the answer.
According to the investigation bureau, the two men had been in a conversation regarding why fuel supplies to the engines were cut off just before the crash.
One pilot asked the other why they had cut off the engines, and the other denied doing so.
The report states: “At 8:08 a.m. the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec.
“The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off.
“At about 08:09:05 UTC, one of the pilots transmitted ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY.”
Pilots would only cut off the engines in the air if there was an emergency, such as a fire onboard.
But according to experts, cutting off both engines is an extremely rare case.
The report does not state whether there was any emergency that required the pilots to do so.
But more importantly, it also doesn’t note how the switches moved to that deadly position.
Speaking to Sky News, aviation expert David Learmount said: “It sounds deliberate, [but] there are cases of pilots carrying out an incorrect action instead of what they should be doing.”
He added: “The fuel switches cannot be turned on or off by mistake.
“They have to be pulled out before selecting up (run) or down (cut off).”