Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu confirmed on Tuesday that the black box from the Air India crash in Ahmedabad is being analysed within India by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Dismissing ongoing rumours, the minister made it clear that there are no plans to send the data overseas.

The Air India flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed on June 12, shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The crash resulted in 270 deaths, with just one passenger surviving. The aircraft was headed to London and struck a hostel building, causing major destruction and additional damage on the ground.

The black box was recovered a day after the crash and is now being thoroughly examined by AAIB experts.

“Decoding the black box is going to give an in-depth insight into what happened moments before the plane crash,” Minister Naidu told reporters during the Helicopters & Small Aircraft Summit 2025, organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Responding to questions about whether international experts were involved, Naidu said:

“...it is all speculation. The black box is very much in India, and it is currently being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).”

Naidu pointed out that the black box decoding process is highly technical and asked for patience.
 “Let the AAIB conduct the probe and go through the entire process,” he said, focusing on the importance of following proper procedure to ensure accurate results.

A high-level committee has also been set up to look into the causes of the crash, and the minister said the investigation is progressing smoothly.

What does the black box record?

Despite the name, black boxes are painted bright orange to make them easier to find in wreckage. A black box consists of two key parts:

  • Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): Records crew conversations, ambient sounds, and radio communications. While newer aircraft now store up to 25 hours of audio, this aircraft was delivered in 2014, before that rule came into effect. This means its CVR likely contains only the last 2 hours before the crash.

  • Flight Data Recorder (FDR): Stores key flight data such as altitude, speed, engine performance, and control settings. In modern jets like the Boeing 787, the FDR records thousands of flight parameters continuously, with storage for over 25 hours.

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