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‘We just want answers’: AI171 crash victims’ families write to PM Modi for black box data
Nearly ten months after the tragic Air India AI171 crash, bereaved families have written a letter and urged PM Modi to release the vital black box data.
Nearly ten months after the devastating Air India AI171 crash, families of those who lost their lives have directly appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking one thing above all else: answers. In a letter sent on Saturday, around 30 bereaved families from Gujarat urged the Prime Minister to ensure the release of the aircraft’s Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and black box data, saying they deserve to know what really caused the tragedy.
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The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, flying from Ahmedabad to London, had crashed minutes after take-off on June 12, 2025, slamming into a medical college hostel complex and erupting in flames. The disaster claimed 260 lives, including 241 passengers and crew members, and 19 people on the ground. Despite a preliminary report being submitted last year, families said the lack of clear answers has only deepened their grief, as per a report by news agency PTI.
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“My home feels completely empty now… We don't want money, we just want to know what happened,” said Nilesh Purohit, who lost his 24-year-old son in the crash. Echoing similar sentiments, families have asked that if the data cannot be made public, it should at least be shared with them privately. Copies of the letter have also been sent to aviation authorities, including the AAIB and DGCA, as well as Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the report noted.
Beyond the demand for transparency, families have also flagged ongoing struggles, from difficulty accessing personal belongings of victims to poor communication from authorities. Kinjal Patel, who lost her mother in the crash, said the website created by the airline for kin of the victims to retrieve their belongings was not user-friendly. "There are over 25,000 items listed, but the images are unclear. It's almost impossible to find anything," she said, as quoted by PTI.
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Some described the process as overwhelming and insensitive, especially for those unfamiliar with digital systems. “There is only one email ID, and responses take upto 15 days. Many people in villages don't even know how to use email,” Romin Vora, who lost three family members – his mother, brother, and daughter – said.
Air India has not responded to this letter as of yet.
(With inputs from PTI)
