New Delhi, June 11 -- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is waiting on an engine analysis by GE Aerospace that has held up the final investigation report on the Air India AI-171 crash, with the probe body now expected to release an interim statement on the first anniversary of the disaster - fulfilling its obligation under international aviation conventions. Three officials familiar with the matter told HT the engines recovered from the crashed Boeing 787 have been sent to GE Aerospace's facilities in Ohio for detailed examination, and the final report cannot be released before the analysis is completed. The officials said the engines - burnt and damaged but largely intact - were dispatched "sometime back," without elaborating on the precise timing. The civil aviation ministry did not respond to requests for comment on when the engines were sent or when a response from GE Aerospace is expected. "The engines were shipped for further checks and analysis, which could take some time as they require specialised and detailed examination. The final investigation report cannot be released before the examination is completed," one of the officials said. Nearly a year has passed since the crash that killed 260 people, including 241 of the 242 on board. Investigators are still working to establish why the aircraft went down 32 seconds after take-off, leaving some of the most critical questions surrounding India's deadliest air disaster in nearly three decades unanswered. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a buildings of a medical college and burst into flames. A second official said investigators had yet to receive any indication from GE Aerospace on when the analysis would conclude. "Most of the work on the final report has been completed, but the results of the engine examination are still awaited. At this stage, it is difficult to estimate when the report will be released," the official said. A third official confirmed the investigation was nearing completion but that the pending technical assessment remained a crucial component of the final findings. GE Aerospace declined to comment. "GE Aerospace declines to comment per Annex 13 rules governing active investigations and directs the reporter to AAIB/NTSB," a spokesperson said. Boeing, responding to a query from HT, said it would defer all comment to the AAIB. "The investigation is being led by India's AAIB and, consistent with the UN International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13, we will defer to the AAIB to provide information about the investigation," a spokesperson said. Under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), states are expected to release a final accident investigation report within a year of an accident....