Cousin of Air India victim wants recording released

The cousin of a man who died in the Air India plane crash has called for cockpit recordings from the flight to be released.

A total of 260 people were killed when the Boeing 787 flight bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, India, on 12 June.

A preliminary report on the incident found both fuel control switches were in the cut-off position - a step that turns off the engines - moments before the plane crashed.

Sameer Rafik, cousin of crash victim Faizan Rafik from Leicester, said: "I've just read the report and it doesn't make any sense to me."

Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules, investigating states are obliged to file a preliminary report within 30 days of a crash, detailing any initial findings.

One of the findings in the report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau outlines how a pilot could be heard asking the other pilot, "why did you cut off?", in a voice recording of the cockpit in the moments before the crash.

It is not specified which voice is which.

At the time the aircraft took off, the co-pilot was flying the plane, while the captain was monitoring.

The report says the switches were moved back into their normal inflight position, something which would automatically start the process of relighting the engines.

One engine, according to the report, was in the process of regaining thrust at the time the aircraft crashed.

The other was relit but was not yet regaining thrust.

The report says both engine fuel cut-off switches were turned to "cut-off" with a time delay.

Mr Rafik said he would fly to India "straight away" if the recordings were released to family members.

"The Indian Government should release the cockpit audio for the families who lost loved ones," said Mr Rafik.

"After we listen to the cockpit recording, we will then know what happened.

"If they want to release the audio to family members only, I will be more than happy to fly to India and listen to it, I will go straight way.

"I lost my loved one. I know what my family are feeling and no one will understand my pain."

The investigation - led by Indian authorities with experts from Boeing, General Electric, Air India, Indian regulators, and participants from the US and UK - raises several questions.

Investigators say the lever-lock fuel switches are designed to prevent accidental activation - they must be pulled up to unlock before flipping, a safety feature dating back to the 1950s.

Built to exacting standards, they're highly reliable. Protective guard brackets further shield them from accidental bumps.

The report does not draw any conclusions, and points out that the investigation into the crash - which just one passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, from Leicester, survived - is continuing.

In a statement following the release of the report, an Air India spokesperson said the airline "stands in solidarity with the families and those affected" and is cooperating fully with authorities investigating the crash.

It did not address specific findings in the report.

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