#BreakingNews: Italian Paper Claims Pilot Deliberately Cut Engines in Air India Crash
Italian newspaper claims Air India Flight 171 crash was due to pilot intentionally shutting off engines.
An Italian newspaper has reported that the fatal crash of Air India Flight 171 in June 2025 may have been caused by the deliberate shutdown of the aircraft’s engines by one of the pilots. Citing sources within international aviation agencies, Corriere della Sera claimed that investigators concluded the fuel switches were moved to the “cutoff” position in what was described as an “almost certainly” intentional act. The crash claimed 260 lives, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
According to the report, data analysis conducted at the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) laboratories in Washington provided a significant breakthrough in the investigation. Investigators reportedly analysed “cleansed” cockpit voice recordings to determine which pilot activated the switches. The newspaper stated that the findings ruled out mechanical failure or accidental activation, noting that the switches require a deliberate “lift and turn” motion and were engaged sequentially.
Although India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has not yet released its final report, the Italian publication identified Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the aircraft’s commander, as the primary focus of the inquiry. It further suggested that the captain may have been suffering from depression, a claim that has intensified public debate over pilot mental health and aviation safety protocols.
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The allegations have drawn strong objections from the pilot’s family and aviation bodies in India. Captain Sabharwal’s father has rejected claims regarding his son’s mental health, calling them speculative and unfair. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India has also criticised what it described as a premature bias toward human error, urging investigators to thoroughly examine potential technical or systemic factors.
Neither the AAIB nor India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has officially commented on the reported findings. The final investigation report is expected to provide detailed conclusions and may include recommendations concerning continuous psychological evaluation and monitoring of flight crews. Until then, the claims remain unverified, as authorities continue their formal review of the evidence surrounding the tragic incident.
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