Air India Crash: Black Box Not Sent to US, Investigation Ongoing in India, Says Minister

Days after reports suggested that the black box of Air India Flight AI-171 would be sent to the United States for investigation, Union Civil Aviation Minister has confirmed that the black box — a crucial piece of equipment for identifying the cause of the horrific crash — is still in India.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 7th Helicopters and Small Aircraft Summit 2025 in Pune, the Minister emphasized that the black box remains in India and is currently being examined by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

When asked about the timeline for retrieving the recording, the Minister said, “This is a very technical matter. I don’t want to put any pressure on the AAIB. Let them go through the entire process.”

He dismissed reports of the black box being sent to the U.S. as mere speculation. Earlier, it had been reported that the device would be flown to the U.S. for data recovery due to extensive damage caused by the fire that followed the catastrophic crash.

The black box contains the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CDR). It plays a central role in aviation investigations and is designed to withstand extreme conditions including high-impact crashes and fires.

Over 270 people were killed when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad airport, crashed minutes after takeoff. At the time of the accident, there were 242 passengers and crew on board. Only one person survived. As the aircraft crashed into a medical college complex, several casualties were also reported on the ground.