Air India Ahmedabad plane crash: Grieving families write to PM Modi, demand release of black box data

NEW DELHI: Ten months after the tragic Air India plane crash that killed 260 people in Ahmedabad, around 30 grieving families have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the release of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (black box) data.Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 en route to London, crashed into a medical college hostel complex shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12.The aircraft bursted into flames, killing 241 out of 242 people onboard and 19 individuals on the ground. The families, who met in Ahmedabad on Saturday, said that the release of the black box and CVR data is crucial to uncover the truth behind the calamity.“We want to know the truth about what caused the crash and whether there was any technical problem,” they said.Copies of their letter were also sent to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel. The families demanded that if the black box data cannot be made public, it should at least be shared privately with them.The airline’s response to the families’ plea is awaited. The AAIB had submitted its preliminary investigation report in July 2025. The final report is expected to be released in June 2026, according to PTI.