Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the ill-fated Air India flight that crashed last week, marking a crucial step in understanding what led to the tragedy. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, killing at least 270 people, most of them passengers.
The CVR, which records cockpit audio, pilot conversations, alarms, and ambient sounds, will work in tandem with the already recovered flight data recorder (FDR). Together, these two devices — commonly referred to as the black box — are instrumental in helping investigators reconstruct the final moments of the flight and determine the cause of the crash. Contrary to their name, the black boxes are bright orange and built to withstand extreme impacts and temperatures, allowing for easier recovery and analysis.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the probe, with assistance from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and UK aviation authorities, as the aircraft was American-made. Officials from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have also visited the crash site to support the ongoing inquiry.
On Sunday, a statement confirmed that the NTSB is conducting a parallel investigation under international aviation protocols. Meanwhile, the Indian government has constituted a high-level committee to examine the root causes of the crash and recommend new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid such disasters in the future. The committee’s preliminary report is expected within three months, according to All India Radio.
The crash occurred just seconds after take-off, when flight AI171 slammed into a doctors’ accommodation building at BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. Only one of the 242 passengers and crew members is reported to have survived. Authorities are still working to determine how many people on the ground were also killed.
So far, 270 bodies have been recovered, with over 90 victims identified through DNA matching. Dr. Rajnish Patel of Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital confirmed that 47 bodies have been returned to families. Among the deceased is former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, whose funeral with full state honours was scheduled for Monday in Rajkot.
The identification process remains slow and emotionally taxing. Due to the extent of burns and trauma suffered by victims, DNA samples are being matched in small batches, prolonging the waiting period for families. Relatives like Mistry Jignesh, still awaiting news of his niece, expressed deep anguish as officials advised that it may take longer than the typical 72-hour window to identify and release the remains.
As the investigation gathers momentum, grieving families continue to struggle with the trauma and uncertainty left in the wake of one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent history.
