The report and India’s inspection order referred to an advisory from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2018 that recommended that carriers using Boeing models, including the 787, inspect the locking mechanism of the fuel control switches to ensure they could not be moved accidentally.

A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) previously confirmed that switches controlling fuel flow to the plane’s two engines had been turned off shortly after lift-off, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust.

The US aviation regulator has said fuel control switches in Boeing aeroplanes are safe, following their reported involvement in a fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people in June. The switches' safety has become a key point of concern after a preliminary report on the disaster was released by investigators on Friday.