Air India was sued in London over the June 2025 crash that killed 260 people
AAIB's preliminary report confirmed both engine fuel switches moved to "CUTOFF" during takeoff
Lawsuits in the US and UK allege faulty hardware, specifically Honeywell-made fuel switches
Air India has been sued in London over the June 12, 2025 crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that killed 260 people, adding to a widening web of cross-border litigation linked to one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.
Court filings show that estates and next-of-kin of several victims filed personal injury claims in the UK High Court in December. The London case runs alongside separate civil lawsuits in the United States against aircraft and component manufacturers, where families are alleging defects and seeking damages.
1 January 2026
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Air India Crash: Legal Troubles
The legal action comes amid an ongoing accident investigation that has raised troubling technical questions. The aircraft, operating an Air India service from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed seconds after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. One passenger survived.
In a preliminary report, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said both engines lost thrust shortly after rotation and that flight data showed the engine fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” while the aircraft was airborne. Investigators have stressed that the probe is ongoing and that no final cause has yet been determined.
Those preliminary findings have intensified legal scrutiny and public debate over possible causes, including human action, uncommanded technical or electrical failures, and maintenance or procedural lapses. Pilot unions and representatives of the cockpit crew’s families have rejected any suggestion of intentional pilot action, urging caution until the final report is released.
Families are pursuing claims abroad to access discovery, reach corporate defendants, and operate within legal systems that offer broader compensation frameworks. Major aviation accidents are often litigated across multiple jurisdictions where airlines, manufacturers, suppliers and insurers are based, and parallel filings can increase pressure toward settlements.
Air India Troubles
For Air India, the lawsuits add to reputational and financial strain, while Boeing and component suppliers named in US actions face potential product-liability exposure depending on the investigation’s conclusions. Regulators have already ordered enhanced inspections of Boeing 787 aircraft, while emphasising that the AAIB’s findings so far are interim.
Investigators are continuing to analyse cockpit voice and flight data recorders, maintenance logs, wiring and system integrity, and supplier documentation. The AAIB has said a comprehensive final report will follow, a process expected to take several months.
Until then, court proceedings in London and the United States are likely to move forward in parallel with the technical investigation, shaping accountability and compensation outcomes well before any definitive ruling on the cause of the crash.
