Mumbai: A day after the preliminary report on the Ahmedabad plane crash was released, a pilots' association strongly defended the actions of the crew of Flight AI 171, asserting they acted professionally and responsibly under challenging conditions. The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) on Sunday denounced any speculation suggesting pilot suicide, calling it baseless and deeply insensitive.
'Deeply Disturbed,' Says ICPA
ICPA, which represents pilots of the narrow-body fleet at Air India (owned by the Tata Group), said it was "deeply disturbed" by the speculative narratives emerging in certain sections of the media and public discourse. It expressed particular concern over what it called the “reckless and unfounded insinuation” of suicide. “There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage,” the association said in a statement.
“Invoking such a serious allegation based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible — it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved.”
The pilots' body emphasized that airline crew undergo rigorous psychological screening, recurrent training, and adhere to the highest standards of safety, mental fitness, and professional conduct. “Until the official investigation is concluded and the final report published, any speculation — especially of such a grave nature — is unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned,” the statement read.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in its preliminary findings, stated that the investigation is ongoing and that the team will continue to review and examine further evidence, records, and information being gathered from relevant stakeholders. The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) had criticised the early framing of the investigation. “The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias towards pilot error,” ALPA India said in a separate statement on Saturday. “We categorically reject this presumption and demand a fair, fact-based inquiry.”
