Leaked internal documents and confidential whistleblower testimony reveal that UK aviation regulators ignored multiple warnings about Air India’s safety compliance before the fatal crash that killed 158 people. Sources close to the investigation confirm that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) received at least five separate reports of maintenance failures and pilot fatigue on the Mumbai-London route in the six months preceding the disaster. The documents, obtained by this newspaper, show that CAA officials classified these reports as 'low priority' and failed to conduct any follow-up inspections.
The crash of Flight AI-117 on 14 March has now triggered a widening scandal that threatens to engulf the Department for Transport. Former CAA safety inspector James Hargreaves told us that 'the culture of cost-cutting and regulatory capture is endemic. The CAA has been systematically gutted of experienced inspectors, and those who remain are under immense pressure to rubber-stamp safety certificates.' Hargreaves claims he was sidelined after raising concerns about Air India’s maintenance contractor in 2023.
The National Transportation Safety Committee has recovered the flight data recorder, which is now being analysed in Farnborough. Early findings suggest catastrophic engine failure, but investigators have not ruled out pilot error or structural fatigue. The black box data is expected to be made public later this week.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have launched a criminal investigation into potential corporate manslaughter. Detective Superintendent Sarah Collins confirmed that 'we are examining documents and interviewing individuals in connection with the circumstances that led to this tragedy.' A source in the Met’s fraud squad revealed that the enquiry is also looking at whether airline executives made misleading statements about safety records to regulators.
Air India has suspended all flights to the UK pending the outcome of the investigation. The airline’s CEO, Ravi Mehta, issued a statement expressing 'deepest condolences' but insisting that 'our safety record is second to none and we fully cooperated with all regulatory requirements.' However, leaked emails show Mehta personally lobbied CAA officials to expedite approvals for a new long-haul route from Delhi to Manchester just one week before the crash.
The UK’s aviation safety protocols are now under intense scrutiny. The Transport Select Committee has announced an emergency hearing scheduled for next Tuesday, where CAA chief executive Sir Richard Pemberton will be required to give evidence under oath. Labour MP and committee chair Rachel Reeves said: 'We need answers. The public must know if our regulators are fit for purpose.'
The tragedy has also reignited debate over the deregulation of the aviation industry. Critics argue that the CAA has been stripped of resources and independence since the 2012 Civil Aviation Act, which prioritised commercial interests over safety. The union representing air traffic controllers, Prospect, has called for an independent review of the entire regulatory framework.
As the investigation widens, more bodies are being recovered from the wreckage. The crash site in the Scottish Highlands remains a scene of grim recovery efforts. Relatives of the victims have gathered at a makeshift memorial near the village of Lairg, demanding justice and transparency. One family member, whose 34-year-old daughter was on the flight, told us: 'They treated us like numbers. We want those responsible to be held accountable.'
The full extent of the regulatory failures is only now becoming clear. Our sources confirm that the CAA failed to act on a 2022 report from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency that flagged 'systemic deficiencies' in Air India’s maintenance procedures. The report was marked confidential and never shared with UK safety investigators.
This newspaper will continue to follow the money and the bodies. The suits have questions to answer.
