Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], December 12 : US Aviation Attorney Mike Andrews, who is fighting the case in the US on behalf of the families of those killed in the Air India plane crash, arrived in Vadodara and met with the victims' families. He updated them on the progress of the case.
"Several of the families who are more technically advanced have echoed my sentiments and want to know what caused the RAT to deploy. They want to know what caused that. I feel the same way, that's a very important clue. What would justice look like for these families, not just in the money, but the truth and the accountability. The transparency and accountability, I think, is a large aspect of working toward some sort of closure or moving forward. I think that, again, these families deserve the respect to know what happened, why it happened, and how it happened," he said
Andrews said that he is positive that the investigation into the incident will bring out all the facts soon.
"I think the fact that the investigation is continuing, that they're continuing to look at the data, I think that's very, very encouraging, because what we've seen in prior incidents is early theories are sometimes, more often than not, disproven. And the more we are methodical and look at the data, follow the evidence to see where it takes us, the more accurate the ultimate finding is. And so, if anything, I would say that we need to follow the models of prior investigations to get the truth and not speculate," he said.
The Aviation lawyer also said he is encouraged by the hearing in the case in the Supreme Court and agrees that it is improper to question the Pilot.
"In the United States, I filed a FOIA, Freedom of Information Act, request several months ago to the FAA for any information they may have. Our government (3:07) went through a shutdown period, and that was paused. We also are closely watching the work in the Supreme Court here of the pilot's father and the petition that was filed. And we are very supportive, fully support that work and encouraged by comments that we've heard coming out of those hearings, that it's improper to blame the pilot without further information. It's important to focus on the data and to learn what's there and to be careful and methodical," he said.
The wife of Mahesh Kalavadia, a man who was passing near the airport on his scooter and was killed by falling debris from the crash, thanked Andrews for helping her and others.
"We are getting in-detail information. But the data required for the black box is still not available. And the Boeing company is also not giving a proper response. And even they are not apologising for this incident. Mike is trying to give the best results. I am meeting him for the third time face-to-face. I am thankful to him and his team. Six Months have passed since the crash. We have daily struggles with the grief. The families are trying to adjust to the new financial burdens that they are facing both here and in the UK," she said.
On June 12, Air India flight AI171, crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India later released the preliminary report into the tragic crash, outlining the harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff. It noted that both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent.
The crash represents one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India in recent history.