Investigation Summary
The flight was carrying Chinese and Eastern European journalists and delegates to the Afro-Asian Bandung Conference in Jakarta. While cruising over the South China Sea, a time bomb located in the wheel well of the No. 3 engine exploded. The blast punctured the fuel tanks and started an uncontrollable fire in the starboard wing. Despite the crew's efforts to manage the emergency, smoke filled the cockpit and electrical systems failed, making a controlled landing impossible. The aircraft struck the water with its starboard wing first, breaking into three sections. Investigations by Hong Kong authorities identified Chow Tse-ming, a janitor at the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co., as the primary suspect. He was allegedly recruited by Kuomintang (KMT) agents and offered a large sum of money and refuge in Taiwan to plant the device. Chow successfully fled to Taiwan on a CIA-owned Civil Air Transport aircraft before he could be arrested.
Final Conclusions
Investigators concluded that the crash was caused by a time bomb placed in the starboard wheel well during the aircraft's stopover in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong police issued a warrant for Chow Tse-ming for murder conspiracy, but the suspect had already escaped to Taiwan. British and Chinese archival evidence points to a KMT special operations group, designated the Hong Kong Group, as the orchestrators of the sabotage. While China initially accused the United States of involvement, the U.S. Senate Church Committee later reported that any such CIA plans were officially disapproved, though some intelligence officers may have acted independently.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
The SHOCKING Truth About The 1955 Air India Plane Crash — A detailed look at the sabotage of the Kashmir Princess, the assassination plot against Zhou Enlai, and the political fallout of the bombing.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
No. 3 Engine Nacelle
The location where the time bomb was planted; the resulting explosion severed fuel lines and caused a catastrophic wing fire.
Propeller Feathering System
The crew successfully feathered the No. 3 propeller to reduce drag and fire risk, but the structural damage was too severe to maintain flight.
Interesting Facts
- 01The bombing was an assassination attempt on Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, who missed the flight due to an appendectomy.
- 02The explosive was a time bomb placed in the wheel well of the right inboard engine.
- 03Three crew members survived: the first officer, the navigator, and the ground engineer.
- 04The suspect, Chow Tse-ming, used at least three different aliases to evade detection.
- 05Hong Kong authorities offered a reward of HK$100,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Enhanced Airport Security
The incident led to increased scrutiny of ground handling personnel and maintenance staff at international airports, particularly during high-profile diplomatic events.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
CIA Involvement Allegations
Reference ↗While the KMT was found responsible, allegations of CIA involvement persisted due to the suspect's escape on a CIA-linked aircraft and later claims by defectors like John Discoe Smith.