05/04/2026
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05/04/2026
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File: Officials inspect the site of Thursday's Air India plane crash on the roof of a building in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
NEW DELHI, Apr 5: Grieving families of victims killed in the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad have written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the release of cockpit data as they seek answers nearly ten months after the tragedy.
The crash involved Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft bound for London, which went down shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and struck a medical college hostel complex. The accident killed 260 people, including 241 of the 242 passengers and crew onboard, and 19 people on the ground, according to officials.
Around 30 families, who met in Ahmedabad on Saturday, said they are seeking the release of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (black box) information, arguing it is essential to determine the cause of the disaster. In their letter, also addressed to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the families said they want clarity on whether technical failure or other factors contributed to the crash.
“We want to know the truth about what caused the crash,” the families said, adding that if full disclosure is not possible, the data should at least be shared privately with them.
The AAIB had earlier submitted a preliminary report in July 2025, while the final investigation report is expected in June 2026, according to PTI. Air India has not yet issued a response to the families’ latest appeal.
