Bhathiya Barukanda
New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Sunday slammed the Western media reports on the Air India plane crash in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad that claimed over 250 lives, and said that making comments before the final report is published is “not a good exercise”.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad after flagging off IndiGo’s flight services from the Hindon Airport to nine cities.
“AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially Western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish. I believe in AAIB… They have done a wonderful job in decoding the black box in India itself… Making any comments until the final report comes out is not a good exercise… There is no point in jumping to conclusions at this point,” Naidu was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Western media critical of pilots
The Western media has been particularly critical of the pilots and has often blamed them for the deadly crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. In a report, The Wall Street Journal quoted a US official who claimed that it was the “captain who turned off switches that controlled fuel flowing to the plane’s two engines.”
AAIB rejects Wall Street Journal report
However, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has rejected The Wall Street Journal’s report, saying it is too early to draw any conclusion and people should refrain from spreading narratives. In its appeal, it has also urged all media houses to wait for the publication of the final report.
“It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting. Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing,” AAIB Director General GVG Yugandhar said, as reported by news agency PTI.
About the Air India plane crash
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft of Air India was flying to the Gatwick airport in London from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on June 12, but crashed merely seconds after its takeoff, leading to the death of 260 people. The incident is regarded as one of the worst disasters in Indian aviation history.
source: indiatvnews.com
