Air India Plane Crash: Will black boxes be sent abroad for probe? Govt refutes claim, warns against 'speculation’

Air India Plane Crash: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Thursday refuted reports that the black boxes from the Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad are being sent abroad. “It has been reported in certain media outlets that the CVR/DFDR from the ill-fated AI171 flight is being sent abroad for retrieval and analysis. The decision regarding the location for decoding the flight recorders will be taken by the AAIB after due assessment,” the MoCA said. 

The investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 near Ahmedabad is underway, with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) leading the formal inquiry. 

A multi-disciplinary AAIB team commenced the investigation on 12 June, the day of the tragedy, supported by experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and original equipment manufacturers (OEM), in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) protocols.

Air India Plane Crash: Black boxes retrieved

Two sets of black boxes—combining the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)—have been recovered from the Air India plane crash site, the first on 13 June and the second on 16 June. 

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner model is equipped with dual black box sets, which are crucial for piecing together the events leading to the crash, the MoCA informed on Thursday, a week after the fateful crash that killed 241 passengers and crew, and many on the ground. 

Air India Plane Crash: Will black box be sent abroad?

Reports have emerged suggesting that one or both of the flight recorders may be sent abroad for detailed analysis. 

The MoCA informed that the AAIB will decide the location for decoding the black boxes after a thorough assessment of technical, safety, and security considerations. 

India’s recently inaugurated state-of-the-art black box laboratory at the AAIB’s Udaan Bhawan facility in Delhi, opened in April 2025 with support from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, was designed to handle such investigations domestically. 

However, officials have indicated that if the recorders are found to be severely damaged or require advanced technology beyond the lab’s current capabilities, the data may be analysed at specialised foreign facilities, with the United States being a likely destination given the aircraft’s Boeing origin.

Air India Plane Crash: Why are black boxes Important?

The black boxes are vital for the probe into the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad: the DFDR records extensive flight parameters such as altitude, speed, and engine performance, while the CVR captures cockpit audio including pilot conversations and alarms. 

Their data is expected to shed light on the causes behind the Air India plane crash, which occurred just seconds after takeoff.

The AAIB investigation is ongoing, with international cooperation and parallel inquiries by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India itself. A preliminary report is anticipated within 30 days, with a final comprehensive report expected within a year, as per ICAO guidelines.