THE SUPREME COURT ON FRIDAY described as “unfortunate” the tragic crash of Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Crash in June in June near Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of 260 people on board, and observed that the pilot could not be faulted for the incident.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice-designate, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi remarked, “No one in India believes it was the pilot’s fault.”
The Court was hearing a petition filed by the father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the Pilot-in-Command of Air India’s London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight, seeking a fair and transparent probe into the crash under the supervision of a retired judge. The petitioner urged for a technically sound and independent investigation monitored by the Court.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan told the bench that the ongoing inquiry by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (‘AAIB’) lacked independence and raised apprehensions that the pilot might be unfairly held responsible for the tragedy.
