An investigation is exploring whether the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, was the result of sabotage.
The tragedy took place earlier this month, when a Boeing 787 Dreamliner heading to London Gatwick Airport collided with a medical college moments after take-off, after both engines appeared to fail.
It took the lives of 242 passengers and crew, and 19 people on the ground in Ahmedabad, with the sole survivor being 40-year-old British citizen Vishwash Ramesh.
The Indian government has now revealed that air investigators are considering sabotage as a possible cause.
India’s Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said: “The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun a full probe. It is being assessed from all angles, including any possible sabotage.”
Following the crash, commentators speculated if sabotage might be a cause, but this is the first time officials have formally acknowledged it.
Moments before the crash on June 12, the plane’s captain, 55-year-old Sumeet Sabharwal, desperately radioed air traffic control to yell: “No thrust… May Day…May Day.”
Investigations have found that both engines appear to have lost power, which is so rare that experts are describing it as a “one in a billion event”.
The AAIB is assessing whether it the crash was caused by fuel contamination as a result of a deliberate act.
Mr Mohol said: "The CCTV footage is being reviewed and all angles are being assessed... several agencies are working on it.
"Once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem or fuel supply issue or why both the engines had stopped functioning.
“There is a CVR (cockpit voice recorder) in the black box, which has stored the conversation between the two pilots.
“It is too early to say anything but whatever it is, it will come out. The report will come in three months."
The plane’s black box includes a Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) which holds information about a flight’s altitude and speed.
The Cockpit Voice Recorder retains conversation between pilots as well as background noise.
Mr Mohol dismissed reports that the black box would be sent abroad for scrutiny.
He said: "It 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."
Mr Mohol also took the opportunity to reassure passengers that air travel in India – especially on the country’s 33 Dreamliners – was safe.
He said: “All 33 Dreamliners have been inspected on the orders of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation).
“Everything was found safe. That is why I said it was a rare accident. People are no longer scared and travelling comfortably."
The plane reached an altitude of just 625 feet before descending and crashing just 33 seconds after setting off for its 10 hour flight to Britain.
It collided with the hostel of a medical college where hundreds of students and staff were having lunch.
Sole survivor Vishwash Ramesh tragically lost his brother Ajay, 35, in the crash.
Speaking to The Sun, the married dad-of-one said his escape was miraculous, but said he was traumatised that his brother had died.
He said: “I tried to get two seats together, but someone had already got one. Me and Ajay would have been sitting together.
“But I lost his brother in front of my eyes. So now I am constantly thinking ‘Why can't I save my brother?’
“It’s a miracle I survived. I am okay physically but I feel terrible that I could not save Ajay.”
