- November 3, 2025
US Shutdown Stalls Lawsuit By Families Of 260 Victims In Ahmedabad Air Crash
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The US government shutdown has delayed a lawsuit for over 125 Air India Flight 171 crash victims, as families await FAA data to pursue action against Boeing.
The US government shutdown has delayed a lawsuit for over 125 Air India Flight 171 crash victims, as families await FAA data to pursue action against Boeing. (PTI File Image)
The US government shutdown that began on October 1 has stalled the progress of a lawsuit filing by the families of more than 125 victims of the June 12 crash of Boeing 787‑8 flight Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, a tragedy that claimed 260 lives.
The American law firm Beasley Allen, representing the families, said it submitted a Freedom of Information Act request on August 13 to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) demanding critical data, including the cockpit-voice recorder for the crash.
“Due to the U.S. government shutdown, any response from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been delayed. Beasley Allen currently represents the families of over 125 victims on the plane and on the ground,” said the firm’s principal attorney, Michael Andrews, told The Indian Express in a WhatsApp message.
The crash occurred shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad bound for London Gatwick, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground when the aircraft struck a hostel building of the BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar.
In its request to the FAA, Beasley Allen sought “complete copy of all aircraft accident information … including all pictures, video and diagrams … along with all Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) information to include all audio files and partial or full transcript.”
Andrews said that once the full data is received and analysed, the firm may pursue legal action against Boeing in a U.S. court. “Based on the FAA’s response and data from the onboard flight data recorder, if investigation into the crash demands, Beasley Allen plans to move ahead with suing Boeing in a US court,” he stated.
Families of the victims are preparing for a drawn-out legal battle. One relative, Saiyed Imtiaz Ali, who lost his brother and his brother’s family in the crash, said: “The agony of losing four of our family members cannot be alleviated, but at the same time, we are patient and firm. We know this (the legal battle) will take time, and we are prepared for that. We are doing this for the sake of accountability.”
Another victim’s family member noted: “We knew and were also told that investigation and legal processes in such cases take more than a year. So, we are mentally prepared and are not expecting an overnight outcome.”
The CEO of Air India, Campbell Wilson, described the crash as “devastating” at the Aviation India 2025 conference on October 29, and said that while the interim report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has given “greater clarity”, the investigation is “far from over”.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Ahmadabad (Ahmedabad) [Ahmedabad], India, India
November 03, 2025, 08:50 IST
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