The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed on Friday the recovery of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), commonly referred to as the black box, from the rooftop of a building near the crash site.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has clarified earlier misinformation regarding a recovered video recorder, confirming it was not the aircraft's DFDR. The actual black box was located on a rooftop and has been retrieved by investigators.
The AAIB has launched a comprehensive investigation, with over 40 Gujarat State Government personnel supporting the Ministry's ground teams. Analysis of the recovered DFDR will prove crucial in determining the cause of the fatal accident that claimed the lives of all 242 people on board, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
The Ministry stressed that contrary to some media reports, the circulating video footage does not originate from the DFDR. The genuine flight data recorder was successfully recovered from its rooftop location.
The tragedy occurred on Thursday when an Al-171 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after departing Ahmedabad International Airport bound for London Gatwick. Of the 242 passengers and crew aboard, only one individual survived the disaster.
The flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, an experienced Line Training Captain with 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flight hours. The aircraft departed from Runway 23 at 13:39 local time and issued a Mayday distress call to Air Traffic Control before all communications were lost.
