The Air India jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, killing 260 people in the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. The aircraft was powered by engines manufactured by GE Aerospace, which have remained a central focus of the inquiry.

Investigators conducted engine tests in April and traveled to France last month as part of an examination of the aircraft’s engine management unit, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the details have not been made public.
Bloomberg News reported earlier on Thursday that a final report could be released within three months after technical studies involving the engines, which were sent to the United States for examination, are completed.

Under international aviation rules, accident investigators are expected to publish a final report within one year of a crash. When an investigation remains unfinished, authorities typically issue an interim statement outlining progress made in the inquiry.

Reuters reported last month that Indian officials were preparing an interim report rather than a final determination ahead of the anniversary because of the complexity of the investigation.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the civil aviation ministry, Air India, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Boeing and GE Aerospace did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A preliminary report released last year found that the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches moved almost simultaneously from the “RUN” position to “CUTOFF” shortly after takeoff, cutting fuel supply to both engines and leading to a loss of thrust.

The findings intensified scrutiny of cockpit actions in the moments before the crash. Reuters reported last year that an early assessment by U.S. officials, based in part on cockpit voice recorder dialogue, supported the possibility that the captain had cut fuel flow to the engines. The AAIB subsequently said it was too early to reach definitive conclusions.

The captain’s father later petitioned India’s Supreme Court for an independent investigation, arguing that potential causes beyond deliberate pilot action should be fully examined.

The Federation of Indian Pilots wrote on June 5 to the civil aviation minister, aviation regulator and the prime minister’s office urging investigators not to release an interim report without obtaining additional technical information from Boeing and Air India.

According to a letter reviewed by Reuters, the pilots’ body argued that further data were necessary to evaluate and challenge what it described as a pilot-suicide theory being explored during the investigation.
The preliminary report did not issue any safety recommendations to Boeing or GE Aerospace, indicating investigators had not identified technical deficiencies requiring immediate corrective action at that stage.

The accident marked the first fatal crash involving Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial service in 2011.

The crash occurred during Air India’s ongoing restructuring following its privatization, a transformation that has faced challenges from supply-chain disruptions, the conflict involving Iran and airspace restrictions imposed by Pakistan on Indian carriers.

State news agencies TASS and RIA, citing the ministry, said the aircraft lost communication before going down on the Black Sea peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

The ministry said the dead included 23 passengers and six crew members, with no survivors reported.“The An-26 aircraft, with which communication was lost earlier, crashed into a cliff,” TASS quoted officials at the crash site as saying.

Authorities located the wreckage in Crimea, though further operational details were not immediately disclosed.Russia’s defense ministry did not provide additional comment outside regular business hours.

RIA news agency reported that, according to an initial assessment, technical problems were believed to have caused the crash.

No confirmation was given on whether an official investigation had been launched or if other factors were being examined.

The An-26 is a Soviet-era twin-engine turboprop widely used for military transport and logistics operations.

The defence ministry said earlier that the aircraft went down after experiencing a technical failure while carrying out “routine duty,” without providing further details on the nature of the malfunction or the mission profile.

Authorities said rescue teams were continuing efforts to locate the final missing individual, following the recovery of six bodies from the crash site. No timeline was given for the completion of the search operation.

Officials did not disclose the identities or nationalities of those on board, nor did they specify whether the helicopter was military or civilian-operated.investigation into cause underwayThe incident is under investigation, with authorities expected to examine technical and operational factors behind the crash.

No additional information was released regarding weather conditions or flight data at the time of the crash.

Helicopter accidents in maritime zones typically involve coordinated responses from defence and interior agencies, particularly in cases involving offshore operations or patrol duties.