The row over what brought down Air India Flight 112 is turning ugly. British aviation experts are now demanding an independent inquiry. They don't trust the official line.
The crash, which killed 158 people three weeks ago, was initially blamed on pilot error. But leaked cockpit voice recordings tell a different story. The crew can be heard reporting an engine fire moments before the plane plunged into the sea off Mumbai.
Now, a group of senior UK-based investigators has written to the Indian government. They want a fresh look at the evidence. Their key concern? The aircraft's Rolls-Royce engines. These same engines were involved in a string of failures last year.
Whitehall sources tell me the British High Commission is watching closely. There's a lot at stake. Rolls-Royce is a national champion. A finding of faulty engines would be a commercial disaster. It could trigger compensation claims worth billions.
The Indian authorities are pushing back hard. They say the investigation is complete. The pilot was to blame. End of story.
But the British team is not backing down. They have secured support from the families of 43 UK nationals on board. Those families are now threatening legal action unless a new probe is opened.
This is a classic Whitehall turf war playing out on an international stage. The Department for Transport is trying to keep a lid on it. They fear a diplomatic incident with a key trading partner.
But the pressure is mounting. Labour MPs are tabling questions in the Commons. One shadow minister told me this could be 'the new Grenfell' if the truth is buried.
The key question remains: who holds the power in this dispute? The Indian government, which controls the wreckage and the evidence. Or the British experts, who have the ear of the global aviation community.
My sources say the next 48 hours are critical. If the British team can force a pause in the Indian investigation, the whole narrative could shift. If not, the families will take their fight to the courts.
Either way, this story is far from over. The game is only just beginning.
