June 19 (Reuters) - India will send the black box

recovered from the recent fatally crashed Air India plane to the

U.S. for analysis, local newspaper Economic Times reported on

Thursday, citing people aware of the development.

"The recorder sustained heavy external damage from

post-crash fire making it impossible to extract data in India,"

the ET report said.

Indian authorities are investigating the crash of an Air

India Boeing Dreamliner, which last week killed 241

people on board and at least 30 on-ground, marking the world's

worst aviation disaster in a decade.

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau did not

immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Air India

declined comment.