The black box of the Air India AI171 has been found on the rooftop of the building where the flight had crashed, reports said on Friday.
Police sources told Reuters that one of the two black boxes has already been located, though it remains unclear whether it is the flight data recorder (FDR) or the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). NDTV reported that the black box was found on the rooftop of the building.
There is no clarity if the second unit has been found.
The search for the aircraft’s black box had taken centre stage as investigators continued to piece together what caused Air India flight AI171 to crash just minutes after takeoff.
The flight data and cockpit voice recorders — collectively known as the black box — are considered critical in unravelling the factors that led to the tragedy.
Emergency teams with specialised equipment, including metal cutters, have been deployed at the wreckage site in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area to recover the device.
Sources also said the DVR of CCTV cameras of BJ Medical College hostel, where the plane crashed, has been taken into custody by police.
A DVR is an electronic device designed to record and store video footage from CCTV cameras.
Earlier, fire department officials, along with the forensic, civil aviation exports and police assisted in locating the black box of the plane.
Boeing has said a team of company experts is ready to assist Indian authorities. The aircraft involved in the crash first flew in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014.
This marks the first-ever fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its commercial debut in 2011.
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, went down in flames shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 p.m. on Thursday. The aircraft, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, lost altitude rapidly and slammed into the newly built BJ Medical College hostel, erupting into a massive fireball.
Rescue operations were carried out through the night, with emergency crews battling smoldering debris and thick black smoke. According to authorities, 241 people onboard died, with only one British national surviving. An additional 24 people on the ground are believed to have perished, although exact figures are yet to be confirmed.
First responders reported finding many of the victims still strapped into their seats. "Almost 70 per cent of the passengers were found in their seats, most with their seatbelts still on," said one official.
Residents living in the vicinity said that construction of the hostel for resident doctors was completed only a year ago and the buildings were not fully occupied.
"We were at home and heard a massive sound, it appeared like a big blast. We then saw very dark smoke which engulfed the entire area," said 63-year-old Nitin Joshi, who has been living in the area for more than 50 years.
