Out of the 271 people on board, only one survived. Another 29 people on the ground also died in the crash.
By Afolabi Ayodele
Investigators in India are analysing the black boxes recovered from the wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing at least 270 people.
The devices, which contain cockpit voice recordings and flight data, are expected to provide crucial insights into what led to one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades.
The Air India flight was bound for London when it crashed into a medical college hostel shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, a city in western India.
Out of the 271 people on board, only one survived. Another 29 people on the ground also died in the crash.
Experts from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are leading the probe, with support from investigators in the United Kingdom, United States, and Boeing officials.
Amit Singh, a former pilot and aviation expert, said the black boxes—comprising the cockpit voice recorder and the digital flight data recorder—will help investigators reconstruct the final moments of the flight.
He said the voice recorder will reveal pilot conversations, emergency alarms, and distress signals, while the flight data recorder logs information like engine thrust and control movements.
“The data will reveal everything,” Singh said.
He added that the team will compare the recordings with CCTV footage from nearby areas and eyewitness accounts.
India’s aviation regulator earlier confirmed that the pilots made a mayday call before the crash.
Singh said other areas of investigation will include the crew’s training records, the aircraft’s load, engine performance, and maintenance history.
Aurobindo Handa, former Director General of the AAIB, said the probe will follow guidelines outlined in the UN’s “Manual of Accident Investigation,” also known as DOC 9756.
He said the severely charred condition of the aircraft could delay findings, especially if the heat damaged the black boxes.
The Indian government has formed a high-level committee to determine what caused the disaster and recommend new safety protocols.
It is expected to deliver a preliminary report within three months.
In response to the crash, authorities have launched a fleet-wide inspection of Air India’s Boeing 787 aircraft.
The airline currently operates 33 Dreamliners. The crashed aircraft was 12 years old.
Though Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner has faced safety concerns in the past, this is the first fatal crash involving the model in its 16 years of service.
Globally, there are around 1,200 Dreamliners in operation.
Join us on our Whatssap Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE
KoikiMedia Bringing the World 🌎 Closer to Your Doorstep