Air India Tragedy: New information revealed

 241 people killed onboard, 19 people on the ground and only one lucky survivor. London's Gatwick-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed tragically on 12th June.  There were many speculations (nope, what am I saying, there are still many), including some crazy ones. A preliminary report was published last week (Saturday), let's see what it entails.

The AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) publishes this preliminary report, which includes routine information on the plane's conditions and such. At 1:37 pm, the doomed flight is cleared for takeoff. What happened in the following minutes?

At around 39 seconds past 1:38, the aircraft took off. 3 seconds later, the plane was jetted and at peak speed. With a difference of a second between each, the cutoff switches were turned off. The fuel supply was cut, and the pilots probably discussed who turned the switches. The plane loses thrust. The first switch turns on, and 4 seconds later, the second switch turns on too. The first engine begins to recover, but the second one couldn't, leading to the tragedy.

This report also mentions lock failures on these switches in the Boeing 737; the same switch mechanism is used in the 787. Air India deems a notice on the same 'advisory' and not mandatory.

This report leaves some unanswered questions, produces half facts and more confusion. The families of these 260 people deserve closure. The tragedy of this doomed flight has rattled the nation; this year as a whole has rattled the nation. I would like to offer my condolences and prayers to these 260 people, their families and anyone who knows them. This case is far from closed and still awaits some essential answers. I hope Indian bureaucracies can provide them soon.

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