Investigators have made significant progress in the investigation of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash, confirming the recovery of crucial flight recorder data just days after the tragedy. The incident, which took place on June 12, resulted in the deaths of at least 270 people when the aircraft crashed less than a minute after departing from Ahmedabad airport, destined for London.
The Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as "black boxes," were retrieved from the crash site on June 13 and June 16, with one being discovered on a rooftop and the other among the debris. Both recorders, which are essential for comprehensive analysis, gather flight data and cockpit audio, enabling investigators to reconstruct the aircraft's final moments and determine the factors that led to the crash.
According to the aviation ministry, a team from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), along with specialists from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), accessed and began analyzing data from the recorders on Wednesday. This data includes critical information on flight dynamics, engine performance, and cockpit communication, all of which are vital for understanding the sequence of events that culminated in this devastating air disaster.
NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy expressed hope that the Indian government will quickly share insights from the investigation to promote aviation and public safety. She commended the cooperation between her agency and Indian officials and emphasized the importance of timely transparency in such cases.
However, experts have raised concerns about the timeframe of accessing the flight data, suggesting that the delay of nearly two weeks may be atypical for aviation investigations. In the aftermath of the disaster, only one of the 242 passengers survived, while the aircraft, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar, issued a mayday call shortly after takeoff, leading to further scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the crash.
