Air India tragedy: Did Ahmedabad plane crash happen due to sabotage? Union Minister says...

Murlidhar Mohol, the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Civil Aviation, has said that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the June 12 Air India plane crash from all possible angles, including sabotage. Mohol made the key statement in an interaction with NDTV at the news channel's Emerging Business Conclave. Terming the crash an "unfortunate incident," the minister said, "The AAIB has begun a full investigation into it...It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage. The CCTV footage are being reviewed and all angles are being assessed...several agencies are working on it."

When will probe report be out?
In the same interaction, MoS Mohol described the crash as a "rare case." Referring to the claims of many veteran pilots and aviation experts, he stated, "It has never happened that both engines have shut down together." The minister added, "It is too early to say anything but whatever it is, it will come out. The report will come in three months."

Will Black Box be sent abroad?
Importantly, Mohol dismissed media reports claiming that the Black Box of the crashed Air India plane will be sent abroad for data analysis. "It (the Black Box) will not go anywhere. It is in AAIB's custody and there is no need to send it outside. We will do the entire investigation," he said. The Black Box is a highly-protected device located in aircraft that stores key information and data during flights, including a recording of conversations between pilots.

What happened in Ahmedabad?
On June 12, an Air India Boeing plane carrying 242 people -- 230 passengers and 12 crew members -- crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad international airport, killing almost everyone on board. The accident marked one of India's deadliest aviation accidents ever. The plane crashed in a residential area close to the airport and killed dozens others on the ground. Ramesh Viswashkumar, a 40-year-old British citizen of Indian origin, is the sole survivor of the tragic incident.