Theresa O’Brien has not looked up in two years. Since the Air India flight from Delhi plunged into the Irish Sea, she has kept her eyes fixed on the pavement. “We don’t look at the sky anymore,” she told me, her voice a whisper.
She lost her sister and brother-in-law, both skilled engineers from Manchester, returning from a holiday in Kerala. Now, the UK government has ordered a sweeping aviation safety review. But for families like Theresa’s, the damage is done.
The crash, which killed 198 people, raised questions about pilot training, aircraft maintenance, and regional disparities in safety standards. This review, announced by the Transport Secretary, will examine regulations for airlines operating long-haul routes from British airports. But families say it comes too late.
“We warned them,” said Raj Patel, whose parents died in the accident. “We told them about the cuts. About the shortcuts.
” Patel is part of a campaign group calling for a public inquiry. The review will be conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority and is due to report within six months. Meanwhile, the victims’ families gather in church halls and community centres, sharing memories and grief.
They want answers. They want accountability. And they want to look at the sky again without flinching.
