AHMEDABAD, India. The flight data recorder from the Air India Boeing 787 that crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday has been recovered, offering critical clues into one of India’s worst aviation disasters, which killed all 241 people onboard and at least five on the ground.
The London-bound aircraft struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad, bursting into flames and causing significant destruction. Several students were killed and dozens more injured. The black box, found on a nearby rooftop, is expected to provide insight into the plane’s systems and cockpit conversations.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched a full-scale probe. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu called the black box recovery a key development, adding that investigators are working with “full force.”
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and General Electric are also participating in the investigation.
Experts say the flight data and cockpit voice recorders will help determine if engine failure, flap misconfiguration, or miscalculated weight and weather data contributed to the crash. “Some basic factual questions will likely be answered quickly,” said Jeff Guzzetti, a former crash investigator for U.S. agencies.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with the lone survivor, Viswashkumar Ramesh, who described how the plane failed to gain altitude after takeoff. He recounted escaping from the wreckage through a broken door after unfastening his seatbelt. “When I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive,” he told state media.
Authorities are conducting DNA tests to identify many victims, whose remains were charred beyond recognition. Outside Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, grieving families waited for word on their loved ones. Hospital officials confirmed the deaths of four medical students and said 30 others remained hospitalized, with at least four in critical condition.
Meanwhile, India’s civil aviation regulator ordered additional inspections of all Air India Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with General Electric GEnx engines. Checks will include engine control systems, fuel parameters, hydraulic systems, and cabin air compressors.
A separate incident occurred on Friday when an Air India flight from Phuket to New Delhi received a bomb threat mid-flight. The plane made an emergency landing back in Thailand. All 156 passengers were safely evacuated, and no explosives were found. One passenger chose not to reboard, while the flight later resumed.
This is the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the model entered service 16 years ago. Air India, now owned by Tata Sons since 2022, has undergone significant restructuring, including the placement of large aircraft orders and a brand revamp.
Professor Graham Braithwaite of Cranfield University emphasized that the priority of the investigation is preventing future tragedies. “This multinational, multidisciplinary team will work together under strict controls to ensure independence,” he said.
Local resident Indrajeet Singh Solanki, among the first at the scene, said the devastation was overwhelming. “We could see only smoke and burning debris,” he said. “It will be hard to sleep for the next few days.”
