
Second black box recovered from India crash site: official
AHMEDABAD: Investigators in India on Sunday recovered the second black box from the London-bound Air India Boeing 787 that crashed in the city of Ahmedabad, killing at least 279 people, authorities announced.
The cockpit voice recorder has been found, PK Mishra, a senior aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in a statement. The flight data recorder was recovered on Friday, one day after the crash.
Only one passenger survived among the 242 travellers and crew on board the Air India jet when it crashed Thursday into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground.
'The AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols since the aircraft is American-made,' Mishra said in a statement.
'Officials confirmed that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) have been located and secured.'
Multiple experts have said it is too soon to say why the jet crashed shortly after takeoff.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
35 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
France seals Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show over Gaza, Iran wars
LE BOURGET, France: Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous." The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already under the shadow of last week's deadly crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Black walls were installed around the stands of five Israeli defence firms at the trade fair in Le Bourget, an airfield on the outskirts of Paris. The booths displayed "offensive weapons" that could be used in Gaza – in violation of agreements with Israeli authorities, a French government source told AFP. The companies – Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Uvision, Elbit and Aeronautics – make drones and guided bombs and missiles. An Israeli exhibitor wrote a message in yellow chalk on one of the walls, saying the hidden defence systems "are protecting the state of Israel these days. The French government, in the name of discrimination is trying to hide them from you!" French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou defended the decision during a Monday press conference at the air show. "The French government's position was very simple: no offensive weapons at the arms exposition," he said. "Defensive weapons were perfectly acceptable," he added. Bayrou cited the ongoing conflict in Gaza as the rationale behind the ban. "Given the situation in Gaza... which is extremely serious from a humanitarian and security point of view, France was keen to make it clear that offensive weapons should not be present at this exposition," Bayrou said. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "outrageous" closure of the pavilions and said the situation should be "immediately corrected." "Israeli companies have signed contracts with the organisers... it's like creating an Israeli ghetto," he said on French television channel LCI. The Israeli defence ministry said in a statement that the "outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations." "The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition – weapons that compete with French industries," it said. "This is particularly striking given Israeli technologies' impressive and precise performance in Iran." Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, killing top commanders and scientists, prompting Tehran to hit back with a barrage of missiles. The presence of Israeli firms at Le Bourget, though smaller than in the past, was already a source of tension before the start of the Paris Air Show, because of the conflict in Gaza. A French court last week rejected a bid by NGOs to ban Israeli companies from Le Bourget over concerns about "international crimes." Local lawmakers from the Seine-Saint-Denis department hosting the event were absent during Bayrou's visit to the opening of the air show in protest over the Israeli presence. "Never has the world been so disrupted and destabilised," Bayrou said earlier at a roundtable event, urging nations to tackle challenges "together, not against each other." The row over Israel cast a shadow over a trade fair that is usually dominated by displays of the aerospace industry's latest flying wonders, and big orders for plane makers Airbus and Boeing. Airbus announced an order of 30 single-aisle A320neo jets and 10 A350F freighters by Saudi aircraft leasing firm AviLease. The European manufacturer also said Riyadh Air was buying 25 long-range, wide-body A350-1000 jets. But Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg last week cancelled plans to attend the biennial event, to focus on the investigation of the Air India crash. "Our focus is on supporting our customers, rather than announcing orders at this air show," a Boeing spokeswoman told AFP on Monday. The London-bound Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and crew and another 38 on the ground. One passenger survived.--AFP


New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Iran, Israel trade deadly strikes as fears of wider war grow
JERUSALEM: Iran launched missiles at Israeli cities Monday after Israeli strikes deep inside the Islamic republic, raising Israel's death toll by 11 on day four of an escalating air war. After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel on Friday launched a surprise aerial campaign targeting sites across Iran, saying the attacks aimed to prevent its arch-foe from acquiring atomic weapons – a charge Tehran denies. Israel's strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian authorities. In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said it had "successfully" struck Israel with a salvo of missiles and warned of "effective, targeted and more devastating operations" to come. The Iranian attacks hit Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva and Haifa – with shattered homes, smouldering wreckage and stunned residents picking through debris. "The entire shelter shook," said Shlomi Biton, who had taken cover with his five children in Haifa. "There were many, many explosions." Ido, a student whose house was hit, recalled scenes of panic. "There were 12 to 13 children there in the shelter screaming." The death toll in Israel rose by 11 on Monday, the prime minister's office said, bringing the total since Friday to 24. US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the missile barrage also lightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv. In Iran, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemned as a "war crime" an Israeli strike that damaged a hospital in the western city of Kermanshah. A previous report said a nearby workshop had been the target. Iran's missile attack followed waves of intense Israeli air raids that struck targets across the country – from the western border with Iraq to Tehran and as far east as Mashhad, where the airport was hit. While some people fled Tehran, others vowed to stay. "It is natural that war has its own stress, but I will not leave my city," said Shokouh Razzazi, 31, in the capital, where the Grand Bazaar was closed amid the ongoing Israeli strikes. The escalation has sparked growing international concern. China urged both sides to "immediately take measures to cool down the tensions" and avoid plunging the region into deeper turmoil. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also called for calm, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that "a negotiated solution is, in the long term, the best solution." Though critical of Israel's campaign in Gaza, she blamed Iran for the latest crisis, citing the UN nuclear watchdog's findings that it was not in compliance with its obligations. "In this context, Israel has the right to defend itself. Iran is the principal source of regional instability," she said. Iran, in turn, urged the International Atomic Energy Agency to condemn Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities. "We expect the (IAEA) Board of Governors and the director general to take a firm position in condemning this act and holding the regime (Israel) accountable," said spokesman Baqaei. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile told his Iranian counterpart in a phone call that Ankara is ready to play a "facilitating role" to end the conflict. The Israeli military said Monday it had destroyed 120 missile launchers – one third of Iran's total. In a televised address, Iranian armed forces spokesman Colonel Reza Sayyad vowed a "devastating response" to Israeli attacks. "Leave the occupied territories (Israel) because they will certainly no longer be habitable in the future," he said, adding shelters would "not guarantee security." Addressing Iran's parliament, President Masoud Pezeshkian urged citizens to "stand strong against this genocidal criminal aggression with unity and coherence." US President Donald Trump insisted Washington had "nothing to do" with Israel's military campaign but warned any Iranian attack on American interests would trigger "the full strength and might" of the US military. On Sunday, Trump urged both sides to "make a deal" while expressing doubts about near-term peace prospects. "Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we're going to see what happens," he said. A senior US official told AFP Trump had intervened to prevent Israel from carrying out an assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "We found out that the Israelis had plans to hit Iran's supreme leader. President Trump was against it and we told the Israelis not to," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Asked by Fox News whether regime change in Iran was one of Israel's objectives, Netanyahu said: "It certainly could be the result, because the Iran regime is very weak."


Sinar Daily
8 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Relatives lament slow support, wait for remains after India crash
Health officials have said the process of matching blood samples with the DNA of victims will be slow, with just 47 identified by Sunday evening. 16 Jun 2025 02:34pm Workers clear debris from the Air India flight crash site at a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. The death toll from the fiery crash of a London-bound passenger jet in an Indian city climbed to 279 on June 14, as officials sought to match the DNA of victims with their grieving relatives. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) AHMEDABAD - More than three days after giving a DNA sample, Imtiyaz Ali is enduring an anguished wait to receive the remains of his brother who died in the Air India crash. "My 72 hours are over, but I've not heard from them so far," Ali said in Ahmedabad, where relatives of victims have gathered since the air disaster. Police personnel inspect the crash site of Air India flight 171 at a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. The death toll from the fiery crash of a London-bound passenger jet in an Indian city climbed to 279 on June 14, as officials sought to match the DNA of victims with their grieving relatives. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) All but one of the 242 people on board the plane died on Thursday when it slammed into a residential area, where at least 38 others were killed. Health officials have said the process of matching blood samples with the DNA of victims will be slow, with just 47 identified by Sunday evening. Ali, whose brother Javed was killed alongside his wife and two children, said he understood the delay and was more frustrated with the airline's response. "With Air India, the next day after this accident they should have appointed whoever they needed to ensure everything is available to us," such as help with paperwork, he told AFP on Sunday. "Whatever it took, they should have done it within hours of the accident," he said, a day after being appointed a support person by the airline. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said "over 200 trained caregivers are now in place, with each family assigned dedicated assistance", in a video message on Saturday. The airline directed AFP to earlier statements about its response to the crash when asked to comment on the criticism from families. 'What happens next?' While some funerals have already been held, the majority of grieving relatives are still waiting for a DNA match before remains are handed over from the mortuary. Rinal Christian, whose elder brother was on the flight, said her family keeps returning to the hospital but they have been told to wait. "They said it would take 48 hours. But it's been four days and we haven't received any response," the 23-year-old told AFP. Her brother Lawrence Christian had travelled to Ahmedabad from his home in London after his father died. "After my father, my brother was the sole breadwinner of the family. I'm still studying, my mother doesn't work, and we have our grandmother too. So what happens next?" asked his sister. Air India and its parent company Tata Group have announced financial aid, amounting to $146,000 for each family, but Christian said she has not heard from the airline. With some in Ahmedabad mourning those who supported their families, parents are also confronting the loss of children. Suresh Patni, a driver, had just dropped his teenage son off at his wife's tea stall when the plane hit. She was severely injured, with burns and nerve damage, and Patni has been unable to tell her their son was killed. "She won't be able to handle it... I've already lost one, I can't risk losing her too," he said. While watching over his wife, Patni is among those still waiting for his son's remains to be found. "As soon as our number comes, they'll call us, ask us to come, and then hand over the body." - AFP