According to two senior sources familiar with the matter, India has declined the United Nations’ offer to send an investigator to assist in the probe of the Air India jet crash. Safety experts had criticized the delays in analyzing crucial black box data following the crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad on June 12, which resulted in the death of 260 people. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had requested observer status for their investigator in India, but Indian authorities rejected the offer. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in India is leading the investigation into the tragic accident, but has not provided any comment on the matter. Flight recorder data was downloaded around two weeks after the crash, leading to questions about the handling of the investigation, including uncertainty about where the black boxes would be read – in India or in the U.S. The Indian government has held only one press conference on the incident, raising concerns about transparency in the investigation process. Despite these challenges, the industry is expected to receive a preliminary report about the crash within 30 days, as per international regulations.
