Air India Disaster: Black Box Discovery Fuels Hope for Answers Amidst Devastation

Authorities have recovered the black box from the wreckage of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad just moments after takeoff on Thursday, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed the recovery of the black box within 28 hours, according to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu. The discovery is seen as a major step in determining the cause of the devastating crash.

“The black box recovery is a major step in the investigation,” said Minister Kinjarapu. “It will help us clarify what went wrong.”

One Survivor: British Passenger Escapes Death

Miraculously, only one person survived: Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British citizen seated in 11A. He is currently hospitalized and recovering from burns on his left hand.

“At first, I thought I was going to die,” he told DD News. “I managed to open my eyes, unbuckle my seat belt, and get out.”

His survival offers a rare glimmer of hope in what is otherwise one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in years.

Flight and Victim Details

The aircraft was carrying 242 passengers, including:

• 169 Indian nationals

• 53 Britons

• 7 Portuguese

• 1 Canadian

The flight had departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:39 local time and was en route to London Gatwick Airport.

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft crashed into Meghani Nagar, a densely populated residential area. The impact destroyed buildings and scattered wreckage over a 200-meter radius, killing at least eight residents on the ground.

Hospitals Rely on DNA to Identify Victims

Local hospitals, including BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, are conducting DNA testing to identify victims. Dr. Minakshi Parikh, dean of the hospital, confirmed that four medical students and four relatives of hospital staff were among those killed.

“We are working carefully to identify the bodies,” she said. “Rushing this process is unsafe. We ask families to be patient.”

Air India and Boeing Respond

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson visited the crash site, calling the experience “deeply moving.” Meanwhile, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company is providing technical support to the investigation.

The ill-fated Dreamliner 787-8 was 11 years old and had completed over 700 flights in the past year, mostly between India, Europe, and the Middle East. It had made 25 trips from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick in the last two years.

PM Modi Visits Site as Investigation Expands

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday, walking through the debris for about 20 minutes. He did not address the media but released a video on his YouTube channel.

The investigation, led by the AAIB, is being supported by teams from the United States and United Kingdom, as per international aviation protocols. The two black boxes—flight data and cockpit voice recorders—are expected to provide critical information on the plane’s final moments.

Relatives in Mourning

Grieving families have begun arriving in Ahmedabad. Imtiaz Ali, whose brother Javed and family were on board, said he cannot find closure until he sees the body.

“If I start crying, I might fall apart,” he told the BBC. “No one can stop me. My heart might burst.”

As the city mourns and investigators dig deeper into the cause of the crash, the nation—and the world—waits for answers.