Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the black box of the Air India plane, which crashed in Ahmedabad earlier this month, was being examined by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. He also dismissed speculation that it would be sent abroad for an inquiry.
The London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel complex in Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport there on June 12 afternoon, killing 270 persons, including 241 on board.
The black box of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane was recovered from the site on June 13.
Speaking to reporters in Pune on Tuesday, the Minister added that the black box was very much in India and is being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). There were media reports that the black box would be sent abroad for a probe into the incident. “...it is all speculation. The black box is very much in India, and it is currently being investigated by the AAIB)“ he said.
When asked about 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.
Minister Naidu was speaking in Pune on the sidelines of the Helicopters and Small Aircraft Summit 2025, organised by FICCI jointly with the Ministry of Civil Aviation.