Investigators Retrieve Cockpit Voice Recorder From Crashed Air India Flight

Authorities have successfully located the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the wreckage of the ill-fated Air India flight — a critical breakthrough in efforts to determine the reason behind last week’s fatal disaster.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was bound for London, crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad in western India last Thursday. The tragic incident claimed at least 270 lives, the majority of whom were passengers.

The CVR, an essential device in aircraft investigations, captures all sounds inside the cockpit — including crew conversations, warning signals, and environmental noises.

The flight data recorder (FDR), responsible for storing technical flight details such as speed, altitude, and engine status, was found earlier amid the scattered debris on Friday.

These two devices together — the CVR and FDR — make up what is known as the aircraft’s “black box.” Despite the misleading name, both devices are coated in bright orange with reflective markings to aid their discovery in crash sites. They are specifically engineered to withstand extreme conditions during accidents.

The investigation into the cause of the tragedy is being spearheaded by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with collaborative support from experts from the United States and the United Kingdom.

On Sunday, representatives from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) examined the crash location.

“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,” a statement released on Sunday said.

Reports from Indian sources indicate that personnel from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have also inspected the crash area.

Additionally, a special committee established by the Indian government is set to hold its initial meeting on Monday to discuss potential causes of the crash.

According to All India Radio, this panel plans to deliver an initial report within three months and will likely recommend updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent such disasters in the future.

Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to struggle with grief and uncertainty as they await closure.

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In less than sixty seconds after lifting off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Flight AI171 collided with a staff housing block near BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital.

Tragically, only one of the 242 passengers and crew members aboard survived. Authorities are also working to confirm the total number of fatalities on the ground while carefully matching DNA to identify the deceased.

Medical teams confirmed over the weekend that 270 bodies had been retrieved from the crash location.

Dr. Rajnish Patel of Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital stated on Monday that more than 90 victims had been identified using DNA technology. Of these, 47 bodies have been handed over to their respective families.

One of the confirmed victims is Vijay Rupani, the former chief minister of Gujarat. His funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday, with full state honours in the city of Rajkot. Rupani had served in public office for over five decades.

Unfortunately, the wait remains agonising for many other relatives.

Officials mentioned that the identification work has been extremely slow and meticulous, owing to the severe burns on most of the bodies. This process is being carefully conducted in small, manageable groups.

Mistry Jignesh, who has been anxiously awaiting news about his niece outside the hospital, shared his frustration on Saturday. He was informed that the release of his niece’s remains might take longer than the initially promised timeframe of 72 hours, due to ongoing search and recovery efforts.

“When people are still missing, how can they complete the DNA process by tomorrow? What if my niece’s remains haven’t even been found? The wait is killing us,” he said.