Civil Aviation Ministry denies reports that AI-171 black boxes will be sent abroad for decoding

The Civil Aviation Ministry today refuted claims that the two black boxes of the ill-fated AI-171 flight are being sent abroad for decoding. London-bound Air India flight 171 crashed immediately after takeoff near Ahmedabad airport on June 12.

Additionally, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu today held a high-level meeting with the Chairman & Managing Director of Air India and urged the airline to maintain operational continuity and accountable communication with the passengers.

"It has been reported in certain media outlets that the CVR/DFDR from the ill-fated AI-171 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 of all technical, safety, and security considerations," the ministry said.

"The Ministry of Civil Aviation urges all stakeholders to refrain from speculation on such sensitive matters and to allow the investigative process to proceed with the seriousness and professionalism it warrants,” it added.

It may be noted that the combined unit containing the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was recovered from the crash site on 13 June 2025, and another set was found on 16 June. The ministry pointed out that this model of aircraft has two black box sets.

"The AAIB investigation is progressing steadily with all necessary support from local authorities and agencies. Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway,” the ministry said.

"The ministry remains committed to full transparency relating to the ongoing investigation and will follow all mandated protocols and norms, in the larger interest of the highest standards of passenger safety and convenience,” it added.

Aviation Minister meets AI CMD, other airlines

The minister also held a high-level meeting with the Chairman & Managing Director of Air India. During the meeting, the minister called for maintaining operational continuity, supporting transparent and accountable communication with the public, and ensuring passengers’ safety and convenience.

The meeting noted that due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, enhanced safety checks, and a ban on night flying in Europe, Air India is facing reduced aircraft availability. As a result, they will temporarily scale down operations, restructure flights, and announce changes through the media. Affected passengers will be rebooked or offered full refunds. Air India was urged to strengthen its ground-level coordination at airports, improve communication with passengers regarding cancellations/delays, and ensure that customer service teams are sensitised and equipped to handle increased passenger concerns with empathy and clarity.

The minister also held meetings with the senior management of SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Akasa on 18th and 19th June and reviewed fleet performance, safety oversight, passenger experience and convenience, and the airline communication strategy.

Additionally, the Union Civil Aviation Minister today held a comprehensive review of safety, passenger facilitation, and airline performance with the airports. “Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu convened a detailed video conference with all airport directors across the country to review ground-level preparedness and passenger support mechanisms in light of the rescheduling of flights happening due to multiple reasons like post-accident checks, weather changes, and the closing of certain airspaces due to geopolitical tensions, among others,” the ministry said.