Plane crash in India: Black box found, pre-disaster clip haunting

According to the latest information, one of the two black boxes of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been found. Extracting initial data usually takes 2-4 weeks for intact devices.

On June 12, a horrific aviation tragedy occurred in the western Indian state of Gujarat when an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner with flight number AI171 suddenly crashed shortly after takeoff. The incident claimed the lives of 241 people on board and caused casualties on the ground. In an effort to find the cause, one of the two black boxes of this fateful plane was found, bringing with it the hope of deciphering the secrets that led to the disaster.

According to the local newspaper Hindustan Times, aviation officials have located the black box at the back of the plane. "Of the two black boxes, the one at the back of the plane has been located and secured. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will collect the equipment to analyze the recordings," a source said. The discovery of this crucial device is the first breakthrough in the investigation, although the analysis of the data is expected to take several days.

Air India Flight AI171, a 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was headed to London when it crashed on Thursday afternoon shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, about 17 km south of Gandhinagar. The crash site was on the campus of a medical college, causing severe damage to the buildings.

On the morning of June 13, Air India confirmed the heartbreaking news that the incident had killed all 241 passengers on board. The only survivor of the incident was a passenger sitting in seat 11A, who is currently receiving intensive care in hospital. Among the 241 victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national, along with 2 pilots and 10 crew members.

On the ground, the tragedy had devastating consequences. One person has died, while at least five medical students and four relatives of residents are reported missing, according to the Federation of All India Medical Associations. Another 50 people were injured at the BJ Medical College campus. The large amount of fuel the plane was carrying for the long journey to London is believed to have fueled the fire that broke out after the incident.

The answer to what happened to Air India Flight 171 could very well lie in these little machines, aviation experts say. The black boxes contain flight and cockpit recorders, providing detailed data on every technical parameter and conversation in the cockpit. This data could help investigators understand the exact cause behind the crash.

The Indian government's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has quickly launched a formal investigation. Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg said he spoke to Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran after the incident and expressed his full support for the investigation.

A notable detail that emerged soon after the incident was that Akash Vatsa, an Air India passenger, shared a video showing electrical appliances, including the air conditioner and TV screen, not working on the plane he was on - just hours before Flight AI171 crashed on June 12.

In addition, Akash Vatsa posted additional photos of the plane showing that its registration number - VT-ANB - appeared to match that of the crashed plane. Flight data also confirmed that the Boeing Dreamliner had flown from Delhi to Ahmedabad that morning. Flight 171 then departed for London Gatwick but crashed just minutes after takeoff, at an altitude of 250 meters, and then crashed into the campus of BJ Medical College.

After news of the disaster emerged, Vatsa shared videos that he said showed the in-flight amenities not working on a previous trip. The passenger said he had taken the videos to complain to Air India.

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