Lead US attorney Mike Andrews, who represents more than 65 families impacted by the tragic Air India flight AI171 crash, has strongly criticised the delays in compensating victims’ families. He suggested that such procedural and bureaucratic obstacles would likely not have existed if former Tata Group Chairperson Ratan Tata were still alive. According to Andrews, Tata’s well-known humility, compassion, and dedication to the welfare of people could have ensured that grieving families were not burdened with lengthy administrative processes during their time of loss.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Andrews remarked that Ratan Tata’s legacy was recognised even in the United States, where his reputation for caring for employees and maintaining a grounded work ethic was widely known. He emphasised that, in his view, Tata would have acted swiftly to ensure that employees, victims, and others impacted by the tragedy received timely financial support without facing drawn-out payment delays.
Highlighting the human cost of such delays, Andrews cited the case of an elderly, bedridden mother who lost her only son—the sole breadwinner of the family—in the crash. She was dependent on her son for medical expenses, and since his death, she has received no compensation. “What are they supposed to do? They are now left at the mercy of the world,” he lamented, stressing the urgency of relief for such families.
Andrews also addressed possible legal avenues, noting that the course of action would depend heavily on findings from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. If the investigation reveals a technical fault, such as in the FADEC system or throttle control, a product liability claim could be filed in the US. Should Air India be found at fault, claims would likely be pursued under the Montreal Convention.
On July 26, Air India issued interim compensation of ₹25 lakh each to the families of 147 passengers and 19 people on the ground who were killed in the crash. These amounts will be deducted from the final settlements. In addition, the Tata Group established the ‘AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust,’ pledging an ex gratia payment of ₹1 crore for each deceased victim, as well as funds for rebuilding the damaged BJ Medical College Hostel and support for first responders and affected staff.
The devastating crash of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft occurred on June 12, shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people. The preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau revealed that both engines had shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, causing the aircraft to lose altitude rapidly.
Describing the disaster as one of the deadliest in India’s recent history, Andrews said the ongoing probe will scrutinise potential design, manufacturing, and maintenance flaws, along with the possibility that the aircraft’s computer systems may have triggered erroneous inputs. “The challenges initially are putting the puzzle together, finding out what happened,” he explained, underscoring the complexity of the investigation.
