'Payouts inadequate', says US lawyer for Air India crash victims
What's the story
Mike Andrews, the lead US attorney representing families of victims in the Air India (AI171) plane crash, has raised concerns over the adequacy of compensation being offered. He is also looking into possible technical faults related to Boeing's manufacturing as key areas under investigation. The lawyer from Montgomery, Alabama, represents families of about 110 victims who were on board and those killed on the ground.
Ongoing investigation
Andrews's team is gathering information on crash causes
Andrews's team is working with experts and reviewing documents that could help understand the causes behind this deadly crash. He said, "We are continuing to work with our experts, gathering documents, and talking to individuals that we believe may have information helpful to our investigation." The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India had released its preliminary report soon after the June 12 crash.
Report critique
AAIB report 'highly decontextualized,' raises more questions than answers
Andrews criticized the AAIB's preliminary report as "fairly quick but highly decontextualized," saying it raised more questions than it answered. He also noted that the pace of the investigation was similar to previous Boeing cases. On initial payments offered by Air India to families, Andrews said they were insufficient and certain indemnity provisions in early documents shouldn't prevent victims' families from pursuing larger claims against Boeing.
Ongoing investigations
Ongoing technical theories being investigated
Andrews also highlighted ongoing technical theories being investigated, including issues with aircraft computers and water leakage in equipment bays. He said, "One of the current theories that's being explored is this issue of water leaks in water lines underneath the forward and aft lavatories of the plane, including the galley areas." These are areas over what is known as an EE bay, where computer equipment is housed.
Potential risks
Water leaks could affect flight safety systems
Andrews warned that water leaks could cause electrical shorts affecting systems critical to flight safety. He said, "Water can leak into the equipment bays and cause the computers to become wet. If that happens, according to the FAA, those leaks can cause electrical shorts." The crash on June 12 is one of India's deadliest aviation disasters in recent history, with families now seeking answers from Air India and Boeing.