India allows UN body's observer in Air India crash probe

India has approved the deployment of an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) observer in the investigation of the June 12 Air India Boeing 787 crash near Ahmedabad, which claimed at least 270 lives.

However, New Delhi declined to allow a UN investigator to join the probe—a proposal made unilaterally by ICAO—and emphasized that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will lead the investigation consistent with ICAO Annex 13 standards.

The crash, India’s deadliest aviation disaster in a decade, involved Flight AI‑171 en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.

Both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been recovered and the black box data was downloaded earlier this week at a specialized AAIB lab in Delhi, with technical aid from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Until now, India’s probe has included support from Boeing and GE Aerospace. A high-level government committee has been formed to oversee the investigation, with a preliminary report due within 30 days and comprehensive findings expected within a year.

ICAO’s observer will monitor adherence to international investigative protocols without joining the core team. The invitation by ICAO was prompted by the scale and complexity of the crash and the presence of many foreign nationals onboard.