Black box recovered in Air India tragedy: Here’s what investigators could focus on now

Air India Plane Crash: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday confirmed that the black box of the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner was recovered from the rooftop of the residential quarters of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad.

An official said that the AAIB team began their work with full force right after the black box was found. Over 40 staff members from the state government joined hands with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) teams to support the investigation.

In its statement, the AAIB said, “The DFDR (Black Box) has been recovered from the rooftop.”


A black box is a small but important device that records key flight information such as altitude, speed, engine performance, and pilot inputs, helping investigators piece together what happened in the moments before a crash.

Dismissing misinformation, it added, “Contrary to some reports, the video recorder being circulated is not the DFDR.”

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered enhanced safety inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 fleet.

Air India Plane Crash: One of India’s Worst Air Disasters

This update comes a day after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI-171, crashed minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

On board were 242 people: 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. In a devastating turn of events, 241 lives were lost. The only survivor is a British national of Indian origin, seated in 11A, who is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

Aircraft Lost Control Within Minutes

The flight took off at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday for London Gatwick. According to officials, the aircraft lost control shortly after take-off and plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College. The impact triggered a massive fire, with thick smoke engulfing the area, as emergency teams rushed to the site for rescue and recovery.

Passenger Nationalities Shared

In an official statement on X (formerly Twitter), Air India expressed deep sorrow and confirmed the nationalities of those on board:
169 Indian nationals
53 British nationals
7 Portuguese nationals
1 Canadian national

Investigation Underway

With the DFDR secured, the AAIB is now focused on analysing flight data to determine what caused the deadly crash. The recovery and investigation efforts are ongoing, with authorities urging the public to avoid spreading unverified information.