Jamnagar (Gujarat) [India], July 12 (ANI): Reacting to the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav on Saturday expressed serious concern over the Air India AI171 plane accident at Ahmedabad airport, calling it a worrying incident for the entire country. He said that the government acted promptly by ordering an investigation and that strict action will be taken against those found responsible.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, resulting in the deaths of 260 individuals, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.

Speaking to ANI, Minister Jadhav said, 'Based on further probe, action will be taken on those found responsible.' He added that the report has pointed to major lapses and assured that the government will take steps to ensure such accidents do not happen again anywhere in the country.

'It was a major accident. Our Prime Minister himself reached the spot and took stock of the situation. The Civil Aviation Minister also visited. Everyone was deeply concerned about how such a serious incident could happen,' he added.

Reacting to the same incident, the former Union Civil Aviation Minister and BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI, 'This report is an eye-opener about how the aircraft engine was not getting fuel.'

On Friday, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171.

The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent.

Flight data recovered from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after the other within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, 'Why did you cut off?' to which the response was, 'I did not.'

This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight.

According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call -- a 'MAYDAY' -- was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter. (ANI)