The black box from the Air India flight that tragically crashed into a residential area has been recovered as investigators continue searching for answers.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, headed to the UK with 242 people on board, crashed just moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing all but one passenger.
Flight AI171 was bound for London and took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.
It crashed into a building hosting a medical college hostel just moments after takeoff, triggering a devastating blaze that claimed multiple lives on the ground as well.
Air India confirmed the breakdown of nationalities: 169 Indian, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian passenger were on board.
Several medical students in the hostel died on impact. Doctors have confirmed that four of the bodies have been returned to their families. At least four others remain in critical condition, per the Express.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau confirmed in a statement that the second black box, or digital flight data recorder, was recovered from a rooftop near the crash site.
“The bureau has begun its work with ‘full force.’”
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on social media: “The black box recovery marks an important step forward in the investigation.”
The first black box had been recovered just hours earlier. These devices — the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder — are key to piecing together the final moments of the doomed flight, per the Independent.
In aviation, a “black box” refers to two critical flight recorders: the flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).
These devices capture key technical data and cockpit conversations, providing investigators with vital clues about what happened in the moments leading up to a crash.
Analysing black box data is essential for understanding the cause of an accident and improving future flight safety.
DNA testing is ongoing to identify the victims, with grieving families gathering at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital.
The crash has prompted India's civil aviation regulator to issue a directive to Air India to perform enhanced safety inspections and maintenance of its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with General Electric’s GEnx engines.
International investigators are also on the scene. The US National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and General Electric are assisting the Indian probe.
“The multinational, multidisciplinary team will work together and can also involve specialists from the manufacturer or operator, but under very strict controls to ensure the independence of the investigation,” said Professor Graham Braithwaite of Cranfield University.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the crash site and hospital, shared his condolences in a social media post: “We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words.
"We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come.”