'All a speculation': Black box of crashed AI plane not sent abroad, says Naidu; currently with AIIB

Civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Tuesday that the black box from the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad is being examined by the aircraft accident investigation bureau (AAIB) and dismissed media speculation that it has been sent abroad for analysis.

The London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex in Ahmedabad on June 12, shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 people on board. One passenger survived.

The black box was recovered from the crash site on June 13.

Speaking on the sidelines of the helicopters & small aircraft summit 2025, jointly organised by FICCI and the ministry of civil aviation, Naidu said, "...it is all speculation. The black box is very much in India and it it currently being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)."

When asked about the timeline for retrieving the black box data, Naidu said it was a technical matter and that the bureau is following proper procedures. "Let the AAIB conduct the probe and go through the entire process," he added.

Following the incident, the government had announced the formation of a high-level panel to investigate the causes of the crash. The minister had earlier said that decoding the black box would provide crucial insight into the moments leading up to the crash.