Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mike Andrews, an aviation attorney with the firm, stated that the families are seeking answers and may file a product liability lawsuit in a US court, depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation
On June 12, Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off. File Pic/AFP
A total of 65 families from India and the United Kingdom who lost loved ones in the tragic Air India plane crash on June 12 have engaged the services of renowned US law firm Beasley Allen, reported the PTI.
Mike Andrews, an aviation attorney with the firm, visited the crash site in Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, before travelling to Vadodara, where he met several of the bereaved families.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Andrews stated that the families are seeking answers and may file a product liability lawsuit in a US court, depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation, according to the PTI.
“Families want to know what happened, why it happened, and what legal options they have,” Andrews said.
He called on the Indian government to release the data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, so legal teams and independent experts can analyse it and assess responsibility, as per the PTI.
On June 12, Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft burst into flames, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, along with 19 people on the ground, including four medical students.
“We visited the crash site, took photographs, and spoke to locals. Families from both the UK and India are desperate for transparency and accountability,” said Andrews, the news agency reported on Friday.
According to Beasley Allen’s media team, most of the 65 families come from Gujarat and the neighbouring region of Diu.
“If the investigation shows that Boeing was at fault, legal action will likely be filed in Federal Court in the US under product liability laws,” said Andrews.
“The US legal system allows individuals and families to hold even large multinational corporations accountable,” reported the PTI.
He raised concerns over early reports suggesting pilot error, stating that such narratives often originate from aircraft manufacturers to shift focus away from potential faults in the aircraft itself.
“There’s an allegation that a switch was removed, but without full cockpit data, it's impossible to determine the full context. Dead pilots are often blamed because they can’t defend themselves. In cases where aircraft landed safely, pilots weren’t blamed because they could speak,” he explained, according to the PTI.
Andrews reiterated the need for transparency and stressed that withholding data could be seen as an attempt to conceal information.
“Families want that data released to their legal teams and independent experts. We know Air India and the Indian authorities possess this information. Now is the time to make it public,” he urged.
From Vadodara, Andrews will travel to Surat and Diu to meet more affected families. Before returning to the United Kingdom, he is scheduled to return to Ahmedabad to meet with additional victims’ relatives.
(with PTI inputs)
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