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.
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.
Families said the lack of clear answers has only deepened their grief, as per a report by news agency PTI.
“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.
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.
