TEN months after the Air India plane crash that killed 260 persons, families of victims have written to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi seeking the release of Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and black box data.
Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft en route to London, crashed into a medical college hostel complex shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025.
The aircraft caught fire, killing 241 out of 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
Around 30 families from across Gujarat met in Ahmedabad on Saturday and sent a letter to the prime minister, asking for the release of the CVR and black box (Flight Data Recorder) data to find out the cause of the crash.
"We want to know the truth about what caused the crash and whether there was any technical problem," they said.
The letter, also sent to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, said that if the black box data cannot be made public, it should be shared with the families privately.
"My home feels completely empty now," said Nilesh Purohit, who lost his 24-year-old son in the crash. "No amount of compensation can fill this void. We don't want money, we just want to know what happened," he said.
Some families also raised issues about support.
Kinjal Patel from Vasad, who lost her mother, said it is difficult to use the website created by Air India to help families recover belongings.
"There are over 25,000 items listed, but the images are unclear. It's almost impossible to find anything," she said.
Romin Vora from Kheda, who lost his mother, brother and daughter, spoke about communication issues.
"There is only one email ID, and responses take up to 15 days. Many people in villages don't even know how to use email," he said.
He also raised concerns about the public display of personal belongings on the portal.
The AAIB had submitted its preliminary report on the crash in July last year. The final report is likely to be submitted in June, around the first anniversary of the incident.
(With inputs from agencies)
