A major controversy has erupted over reports in international media regarding the preliminary investigation report of the Air India Flight AI-171 accident. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has accused prominent media organizations, The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, of running misleading stories and has issued legal notices to both.
New Delhi: Following the tragic accident of Air India Flight AI-171, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has sent legal notices to global media organizations The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Reuters, accusing them of misleading and irresponsible reporting. The Pilots Federation states that these international media platforms have attempted to unfairly blame the pilots without any official findings, causing serious damage to the reputation of Indian pilots.
What is the Case?
The preliminary investigation report into the crash of Air India Flight AI-171 was prepared by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). More than 250 people died in this accident. WSJ and Reuters published stories regarding this report, presenting alleged negligence by the pilots as a possible cause of the accident.
FIP President Captain CS Randhawa has expressed his displeasure over these reports. He said, "The WSJ has fabricated conclusions and spread them worldwide. Are they an official investigation agency? When the initial report does not state anything like that, on what basis can they do this kind of reporting? This has caused immense damage to the reputation of Indian pilots."
'WSJ and Reuters Should Apologize' - Pilots Federation
The Federation of Indian Pilots has clearly stated that WSJ and Reuters should publicly apologize for this irresponsible reporting and provide clarification. If this is not done, the Federation will be compelled to take further legal action. Captain Randhawa said, "We have made it clear that if WSJ and Reuters do not apologize and publicly clarify their incorrect reporting, we will take legal action against them."
Jennifer Homendy, Chairwoman of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), has also objected to the reporting by WSJ and Reuters. She said, "Investigating such a major air accident takes time. The media should avoid speculation and hasty reporting and wait for the official report from AAIB." FIP welcomed this statement from the NTSB and said that it will put an end to the baseless allegations being made against Indian pilots.
Allegation of Damaging the Reputation of Pilots
FIP President Randhawa says that the misleading reporting by WSJ and Reuters has not only questioned the reputation of Indian pilots but has also damaged the credibility of India's aviation industry. He also said that such irresponsible reporting demoralizes pilots, while the investigation process is not yet complete. Randhawa said that such media organizations should report only on the basis of facts, and not on the basis of speculation and rumors.
It is worth noting that Air India Flight AI-171 crashed on May 19, 2025. More than 250 passengers and crew died in this horrific accident. A detailed investigation of the accident is being conducted by India's AAIB, and no final report has been released yet. Government agencies say that the investigation is being conducted keeping in mind technical aspects, human error and other possible causes, and it is inappropriate to speculate in any way until the final report is released.
