The brother of a British man who died in the Air India Flight 171 crash a year ago has issued a bleak warning, saying he believes families will not learn the full truth from the upcoming final report.
Crash Anniversary and Investigation
Nick Meek lost his brother Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, 45, and his husband Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, 39, when the plane crashed into a hostel shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, 2025. The couple were among 53 Britons on the Gatwick-bound flight that killed 260 people.
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is set to release its final report on the anniversary, but Nick expressed deep skepticism about its findings.
Nick's Concerns
Speaking to the Mirror, Nick said: "The most annoying thing that hurts more than anything... I don't think we are going to get the full truth in this full report. I think we are just going to get the washed up version."
A preliminary report from July 2025 indicated that both engines lost thrust because fuel-control switches were moved from "run" to "cut off." The report quoted the co-pilot asking the captain why he "did the cut-off," with the captain denying it. Nick, a caretaker from Birmingham, claimed he feared the crash would be "blamed on the pilots" because they are not alive to defend themselves.
Communication Failures
Nick criticized Air India and its owner, Tata Group, for providing "generic responses" and "scripted" communications rather than personalized support to grieving families. He said: "We haven't really had any communication to be honest. A bit frustrating that they could give you or tell you a bit more. They chose to stay silent I think."
Mishandling of Remains
Adding to the family's distress, Fiongal's remains were not returned to the UK, and his mother was given the wrong ashes. This forced families to abandon plans to scatter the couple's ashes together. Nick said: "It wasn't good that one of the mix-ups was Fiongal which really overshadowed a lot of plans... we've had to do things separately, which they wouldn't have wanted."
Memorial and Call for Action
Nick remembered his brother as "loyal, a good friend, and loved life and travel." The family plans to bury Jamie's remaining ashes next to their father, who died in 2012. Nick urged British authorities to become more involved in the investigation, noting that after Indian nationals, British citizens were the second most affected. He said: "The government probably could have pushed maybe harder... I just don't see how British AAIB didn't act more."
Legal Perspective
Keith Barrett, a partner at Fieldfisher LLP representing some families, said: "As we approach the first anniversary, my clients await the outcome of the official investigations. There is no reason why the families should be left waiting for an explanation."
A UK AAIB spokesperson stated: "This was a deeply shocking accident. In accordance with international protocols, release of information rests solely with the Indian authorities. UK AAIB remains engaged with the Indian AAIB but it wouldn't be appropriate to comment on the progress of their investigation."
The Mirror has contacted Air India, Tata Group, and the Indian AAIB for comment.
