Ahmedabad: Families of the victims of the tragic Air India crash in June have called for the immediate release of the aircraft’s two flight recorders, expressing growing frustration over delays they say are eroding public trust in the investigation.

The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on 12 June, killing all 241 people on board. A further 19 individuals lost their lives on the ground, bringing the total death toll to 260.

A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed that fuel to the jet’s engines had been cut off moments before impact. The report, however, stopped short of assigning blame and offered no firm conclusions. Based on cockpit voice recordings, it noted that one pilot had asked the other why the fuel had been cut--only to be told he had not done so.

Speaking at a press conference in Vadodara on Friday, Imtiaz Ali Sayed--who lost his brother, sister-in-law, and two young nieces in the crash--issued a public statement on behalf of over 60 affected families.

“We are formally demanding the immediate release of the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder--the black box,” he said. “These devices contain vital information that can reveal the truth behind this horrific tragedy.”

“Every day without answers deepens the pain of our loss and erodes public trust in aviation safety,” he added.

Legal action under consideration

Some of the victims’ families are now considering legal action against both Air India and Boeing, the aircraft’s US-based manufacturer.

Mike Andrews, an attorney with the US-based Beasley Allen Law Firm, which is representing 65 families from India and the UK, met relatives in Vadodara on Friday after visiting the crash site.

“If the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder indicate that there is a defect with the aircraft,” Andrews told reporters, “then the families have the option of bringing a product liability claim in the United States.”

The AAIB has not confirmed when the full investigation findings will be made public, nor whether the flight recorder data will be released to the families.