Black box of Air India plane recovered from building it crashed into in Ahmedabad
Black box of the Air India aircraft that crashed in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Thursday was recovered from the hostel building the plane plummeted into, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed on Friday.
The Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), commonly referred to as the blackbox, was found on the rooftop of the building. Follow Ahmedabad plane crash live updates
The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarified that, contrary to circulating reports, a video recorder that had been recovered at the crash site was not the DFDR.
Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on X that the Flight Data Recorder (black box) was recovered within 28 hours from the accident site in Ahmedabad by AAIB. 'This marks an important step forward in the investigation. This will significantly aid the enquiry into the incident,' he added.
The AAIB has launched a full-scale investigation into the crash, with over 40 staff from the Gujarat State Government joining efforts to support the Ministry of Civil Aviation teams on the ground.
A black box is a small machine that records information about an aircraft during its flight. This bright orange or yellow rectangular box is crafted to withstand explosions, fire, water pressure, and high-speed crashes.
Black box contains flight and cockpit recordings, and flight data, which help in zeroing in on the real cause of the plane crash. Soon after an accident, authorities first try to locate the equipment to discover what led to the crash.
The black box is now under analysis to determine the cause of the tragedy that killed 241 of the 242 people on board, including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.
Authorities expect the data stored on the DFDR to offer vital clues into the final moments of Flight AL-171, a Boeing 787-8 bound for London's Gatwick Airport that went down minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad International Airport.
The aircraft departed from Runway 23 at 1:39 pm and issued a 'Mayday' call to Air Traffic Control (ATC) shortly afterward. Communications were abruptly lost, and within moments, the plane crashed outside the airport perimeter, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.
Air India said the plane was carrying 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. Only one person survived the crash — a British national of Indian origin identified Vishwashkumar Ramesh, who was seated on 11A, a left-side window seat near an emergency exit in the economy section.
The aircraft was being flown by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
The Air Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with support from MoCA and local authorities, has launched a full-scale probe into the disaster.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
31 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"You can't ask questions": AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj slams govt on Air India Plane Crash
New Delhi [India], June 14 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj on Friday launched a sharp attack on the ruling government over the growing concerns over public safety in India. He questioned, through a series of tragedies that have happened in recent months, asking for the government's accountability for rising accidents and crime incidents. In a post on X, Bhardwaj said, 'You go for a vacation in Kashmir, and terrorists shoot you point blank. You go to a Kumbh and it ends in a stampede, killing many. You go to a Railway station, you can get killed again in a stampede. You go in a flight for work/vacation, and it crashes. You are studying in your hostel, and the plane falls on you. Rapes, extortion, murders are everyday happening around u. But you can't ask Questions because No one of responsible.' The Aam Aadmi Party leader's remark came after the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London's Gatwick crashed shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad International Airport on Thursday. The airlines said only one out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls. Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter, and heavy black smoke began emanating from the accident site. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board the crashed plane, airline authorities said. (ANI)
India Gazette
31 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Ahmedabad plane crash: DNA sample collection continues to identify victims
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 14 (ANI): The collection of DNA samples from the family members of the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash continued on Saturday, to help identify the bodies. Many came to the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad to provide their samples. Samples from over 250 people have already been collected in the massive identification effort. The victims' identification relies entirely on DNA results, as the bodies were charred beyond recognition. Meanwhile, the government has constituted a high-level multi-disciplinary committee for examining the causes leading to the crash of the Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) on June 12, that left 241 people dead. 'A High Level Multi-disciplinary Committee is constituted for examining the causes leading to the crash of the Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) on June 12, 2025. The Committee will examine the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines issued to prevent and handle such occurrences and suggest comprehensive guidelines for dealing with such instances in the future,' an order issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry read. 'The Committee will not be a substitute for other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future,' the order clarified. 'The committee will have access to all records, including, among others, flight data, cockpit voice recorders, aircraft maintenance records, ATC Log and witness testimonies,' it stated, adding that the committee will publish its report within three months. It said that the Committee will be headed by the Home Secretary and will include representatives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Indian Air Force and Aviation experts. The committee will assess the emergency response of the various stakeholders, including rescue operations and coordination among them. It will also suggest policy changes, operational improvements and training enhancements required to prevent such occurrences and handle post-crash incident situations. Stating the objective of constituting the committee, the order said that it was formed to ascertain the root cause of the crash. It also said that the committee will recommend necessary improvements and formulate suitable SOPs to prevent such incidents in the future. These SOPs will also include international best practices regarding preventing and handling such incidents. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
35 minutes ago
- Business Standard
'You can't ask questions': AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj slams govt on plane crash
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj on Friday launched a sharp attack on the ruling government over the growing concerns over public safety in India. He questioned, through a series of tragedies that have happened in recent months, asking for the government's accountability for rising accidents and crime incidents. In a post on X, Bhardwaj said, "You go for a vacation in Kashmir, and terrorists shoot you point blank. You go to a Kumbh and it ends in a stampede, killing many. You go to a Railway station, you can get killed again in a stampede. You go in a flight for work/vacation, and it crashes. You are studying in your hostel, and the plane falls on you. Rapes, extortion, murders are everyday happening around u. But you can't ask Questions because No one of responsible." The Aam Aadmi Party leader's remark came after the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London's Gatwick crashed shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad International Airport on Thursday. The airlines said only one out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls. Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter, and heavy black smoke began emanating from the accident site. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board the crashed plane, airline authorities said.
