AI-171 Crash: Families Demand Black Box Data, CVR Transcript

The families of those killed in the Air India AI-171 crash have stepped up their campaign for greater transparency, demanding access to the aircraft's black box data and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript while questioning the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) decision to withhold the material during the ongoing investigation. They have also renewed calls for a permanent memorial at the crash site, saying the victims deserve both accountability and lasting remembrance as the probe nears its final stages.

The London Gatwick-bound Air India AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025, before plunging into the BJ Medical College hostel complex. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.

Meeting in Ahmedabad on Sunday, victims' families questioned why excerpts of cockpit conversations appeared in the preliminary report if the complete recordings cannot be disclosed. Romin Vahora, who lost three family members, said the families wanted the raw black box data released publicly, shared with them or provided to their lawyers, asserting that a summarised report alone could not guarantee transparency. They also reiterated their demand for a permanent memorial at the crash site.

Lawyer Saloni Palkhiwala, who lost her sister in the tragedy, urged the government to release at least the cockpit transcript, saying families deserve to know what happened in the aircraft's final moments.

The AAIB, India's independent aviation accident investigation agency, has informed the Supreme Court that Indian law places an "absolute statutory prohibition" on disclosing cockpit recordings, witness statements and other sensitive evidence during an ongoing probe. It said confidentiality is necessary to protect the integrity of investigations and future aviation safety inquiries, with the draft final report expected in October 2026.

A commercial aircraft's black box comprises the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which help investigators reconstruct an accident alongside radar, maintenance, weather and air traffic control data. The AI-171 probe also includes simulator tests and international cooperation under ICAO standards. The dispute highlights the challenge of balancing investigative confidentiality with transparency, accountability and passenger confidence in India's aviation safety system.