Shocking new revelations have emerged in the deadly crash of Air India Flight 171, which went down on June 12 en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, killing all 260 people on board—including civilians on the ground. Investigators now believe the plane’s engines may have been intentionally shut down just seconds after takeoff.
According to a report from Corriere della Sera, Italian authorities with access to the flight’s black box have uncovered a haunting final exchange between the pilots in the cockpit. Just minutes before the aircraft plunged from the sky, Captain Sumit Sabharwal was heard telling First Officer Clive Kundar: “The plane is in your hands.”
Then came the moment that changed everything.
Within seconds of reaching 330 km/h on takeoff, audio records a distinct click—believed to be the sound of the fuel cutoff switches. The engines were manually shut off. As the thrust died, the co-pilot is heard in panic: “Why did you shut the engines?” The captain’s response: “It wasn’t me.”
Experts reviewing the recording say the statement was unconvincing. “The switch-off sound is unmistakable,” said one European aviation analyst. “The question is—was it deliberate sabotage, or a tragic lapse in communication and judgment?”
🔥 Fireball on Impact
Despite desperate efforts to restart the engines, the aircraft never gained enough altitude. Just seconds after issuing a mayday distress call, communication was lost entirely. The Airbus plummeted into a residential zone on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, striking several buildings and igniting a massive fireball.
All 243 passengers and 12 crew members perished. Five people on the ground were also killed, and over a dozen others were injured in the inferno.
Video clips from surveillance cameras captured the horrifying moment the jet spiraled downward. Emergency responders arrived within minutes, but there were no survivors aboard.
👨✈️ A Captain Near Retirement
Captain Sumit Sabharwal, 56, was a veteran pilot with over 15,000 hours of flight experience. Sources close to the family say he had recently been contemplating retirement due to personal and family reasons. Some experts are now exploring the possibility of a psychological trigger.
“This incident bears similarities to known cases of pilot-assisted crashes, though it’s far too early to draw final conclusions,” said aviation psychiatrist Dr. Neha Mirza.
Indian officials are urging patience. “We ask the public and the press not to jump to conclusions. The investigation is ongoing,” said Civil Aviation Minister Prashant Verma in a televised statement.
However, international aviation bodies are calling for full transparency, especially given the disturbing nature of the cockpit dialogue.
⚠️ Manual Shutdown — A Rare and Alarming Act
According to flight engineers familiar with the Airbus A310 system, both engines must be manually shut off using guarded switches. “This is not something that happens by accident,” said one former Air India technician. “Even a power surge or mechanical failure would not kill both engines simultaneously unless deliberately triggered.”
Theories range from a technical anomaly, to a sudden cockpit confrontation, to a suicide attempt disguised as a malfunction. Some analysts point to the smooth coordination up to the moment of the cutoff, suggesting one pilot may have acted alone.
Others suggest that a disagreement may have taken place off-mic, before the verbal handoff was made official.
🕊️ Grieving Families Demand the Truth
Families of the victims are devastated and demanding clarity. “We were told this was a mechanical failure,” said Anjali D’Souza, whose daughter was on board. “Now they’re saying the engines were turned off? How is that even possible?”
A class action lawsuit is reportedly being prepared by an international legal team on behalf of victims’ families, targeting both Air India and any regulatory oversight that may have failed.
In the meantime, Air India has grounded several aircraft for routine checks and begun a reevaluation of its cockpit psychological screening procedures.
🌍 Global Scrutiny Intensifies
The crash of Flight 171 has sparked international concern about airline safety standards in the region, and about the mental health monitoring of flight crews worldwide. With public confidence shaken, global aviation watchdogs are pushing for mandatory real-time cockpit monitoring systems and more stringent mental fitness testing.
As the investigation continues, all eyes are on the final report—expected to be released in the coming weeks. Until then, a haunting question lingers in the sky:
Who really shut down the engines of Flight 171? And why?
