In the aftermath of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that resulted in the loss of 241 lives, the airline is now contending with further scrutiny. This time, the focus is on remarks made by CEO Campbell Wilson. Social media users have accused Mr. Wilson of "plagiarizing" elements of his message about the tragic accident from a speech delivered by Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines. Users pointed out parallels between the two communications by referencing similar phrases such as: "I want to brief you on a serious accident,""This is a difficult day for all of us," and "I know there are many questions, and at this early stage, I won’t be able to answer all of them, but I want to share the information I have at this time." Other noteworthy phrases included "emergency response efforts," and "We are actively working with." Isom had originally spoken following a mid-air collision on January 30 near Washington DC, where a commercial aircraft collided with a military helicopter, leading to the deaths of 67 individuals.
Businessman Harsh Goenka also commented on the similarities in the speeches, describing it as a "good perspective." Some users speculated whether both CEOs employed the same advisors or even Artificial Intelligence in crafting their statements. Others questioned if the situation represented genuine plagiarism or merely adhered to standard operating procedures. One user on X noted, "The SOPs in situations like this are widely recognized, and when standard protocols overlap, it's not uncommon for similar language to be used to convey sentiments. While there are certainly many aspects of Air India that can be criticized, this particular allegation strikes me as exaggerated." Mr. Wilson's video addressing the crash was released two days following the incident, where he expressed profound sadness about the situation, stating, "First and most importantly, I would like to express our deep sorrow regarding this event. Today is a tough day for all of us in India. Our focus now is entirely on supporting our passengers, crew, their families, and loved ones. The injured individuals have been transported by local authorities to the nearest hospitals. We are actively collaborating with authorities on all emergency response efforts."
The Air India aircraft, which was en route to London from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad, crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff, claiming the lives of 241 individuals on board, including 10 members of the cabin crew and two pilots. Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Officials reported that DNA identification has been completed for 132 bodies thus far, with 97 of them already returned to their families.
