India has blocked a United Nations aviation investigator from observing the ongoing probe into the June 12 Air India Boeing 787‑8 crash in Ahmedabad, according to senior sources cited by Reuters. The move came after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) offered assistance - a rare initiative following disasters like the Malaysian Airlines and Ukrainian crashes.

The Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that flight recorder data was downloaded approximately two weeks after the crash, following the recovery of both recorders on June 13 and June 16 . However, safety experts are critical of the delay and India's refusal to grant observer status to the ICAO investigator, recalling Annex 13 protocols that urge immediate cooperation to avert future tragedies.

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the inquiry, in coordination with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, though it has yet to appoint a formal lead, raising further transparency worries.

A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, but critics warn that opening the probe to international observers could help restore credibility.