Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday confirmed that the black box recovered from the Air India aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad earlier this month is currently under examination by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). He categorically dismissed all speculation suggesting that the crucial data recorder would be sent abroad for analysis, stating that the investigation remains firmly within Indian jurisdiction.
The tragic incident occurred on June 12, when the London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed just moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft collided with a hostel complex, resulting in the tragic loss of 270 lives — including 241 passengers and crew on board. Miraculously, one passenger survived the crash.
The black box is in India: Minister
Asked about some media reports suggesting the black box would be sent abroad for a probe into the incident, Naidu said, "It is all speculation...The black box is very much in India and it it currently being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)." To a query on when the black box data is expected to be retrieved, the minister said it is a very technical matter. "Let the AAIB conduct the probe and go through the entire process," he added.
Naidu was speaking here on the sidelines of the Helicopters & Small Aircraft Summit 2025, organised by FICCI jointly with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. A high-level panel has been set up to investigate the causes of the Ahmedabad plane crash and the investigation is progressing smoothly, the government said after the incident.
What is a black box?
The black box, which holds vital flight data and cockpit voice recordings, was recovered from the crash site the following day, on June 13. Modern aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are equipped with two critical components commonly referred to as the black box. It is a small machine that records information about an aircraft during its flight. Despite its name, the black box is typically a bright orange or yellow rectangular box to aid in recovery after a crash. It is a crucial flight recording device installed in aircraft that captures essential data during a flight. Invented by Australian scientist David Ronald de Mey Warren, black box is useful in revealing the cause of an aeroplane crash.
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