Saturday, July 5, 2025

Black Box Recovered from Ahmedabad Plane Crash Site

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New Delhi, June 14: The black box of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed moments after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday has been recovered from the rooftop of the doctors’ hostel into which the aircraft slammed.

The digital flight data recorder (DFDR), commonly known as the black box, was located by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with the assistance of 40 personnel from the Gujarat government. Though termed a “black box,” the device is bright orange to aid detection amidst wreckage.

The black box is expected to provide critical data on flight speed, altitude, engine performance, and cockpit conversations — including communication between the pilots and air traffic controllers. Built to endure high temperatures, deep water, and extreme impact, the device is crucial in determining the cause of what is now one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India.

It comprises two components — the DFDR and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). While the DFDR logs technical parameters of the flight, the CVR records audio from within the cockpit, including pilot exchanges and emergency calls.

The ill-fated Ahmedabad-London flight had 242 passengers onboard. Only one, a British national of Indian origin, miraculously survived.

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran confirmed that investigation teams from India, the US, and the UK have arrived at the crash site within the past 24 hours. “Trained investigators will help us understand why this routine flight turned into a calamity,” he stated.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner involved was 12 years old. CCTV footage from Ahmedabad Airport showed the aircraft accelerating normally during takeoff. However, after lifting off, the plane failed to gain sufficient altitude, flying level before rapidly descending and crashing into the doctors’ hostel building.