The pilots probably screwed up. But just as a point of order, it's possible that they thought they weren't going to need to dump fuel at this time early on whe

The pilots probably screwed up. But just as a point of order, it's possible that they thought they weren't going to need to dump fuel at this time early on when ATC asked about it, but then the situation deteriorated on the way in to the airport and they had to lose weight quickly to get a safe landing. It's not possible to find out whether the pilots' actions were justified without actually talking to the pilots and knowing what the plane was doing. ATC are not the air police and it is possible to perform many actions in the name of landing safety without their knowledge or permission. (When I read that 60 people were injured I imagined something horrific; in reality, no-one had to go to the hospital, they just had to wash with soap.)