Black boxes recovered, grim toll rises – On-ground deaths highlight depth of tragedy

Ahmedabad

Just 27 hours after the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, Flight AI 171, plummeted moments after lifting off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, rescue and investigative teams have recovered the aircraft’s crucial black boxes—the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)—from the wreckage atop a hostel mess roof at BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar.

The black box recovery marks a key milestone, offering hope for clarity on the disaster that has already claimed 274 lives, including 241 passengers and crew and 33 individuals on the ground — the highest ground fatality count in the region from an aircraft accident. The Boeing 787-8, en route to London Gatwick, lost altitude rapidly after a distress call, crashing into the medical college campus and igniting a monstrous fire due to its full fuel load.

Witnesses described horrific scenes—“loud explosions” followed by thick black smoke, frantic rescue efforts as locals and emergency teams battled flames and collapsing structures to try and save lives. Among those killed on the ground were students and staff in the mess building, which was engulfed in the wreckage; burned remains made identification excruciatingly difficult, triggering a massive DNA-testing campaign .

Only one passenger, British national Vishwaskumar Ramesh, miraculously survived, rescued through a fractured door and receiving treatment in Ahmedabad. His brother, tragically, did not survive.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed the black boxes were found today, stating they will be transported to New Delhi for detailed analysis by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. Early investigative signals are focusing on potential engine thrust loss and setbacks in flap or landing-gear deployment, critical in the Dreamliner’s aborted climb.

Authorities have now registered accidental death and are examining all angles—from mechanical failure to crew procedure—while the DGCA orders immediate safety checks across Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet.

The catastrophe has sent a ripple of grief nationwide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and the lone survivor in hospital, offering solace to victims’ families. Air India, now under Tata Group ownership, is coordinating support with Boeing, GE Aerospace, and multiple national agencies.

This disaster stands as India’s deadliest single‑aircraft accident and the first fatal crash involving the Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011. Investigators will soon retrieve critical data from the black boxes—insights that may shed light on what went wrong mere seconds after takeoff. Meanwhile, families and communities continue to mourn the devastating loss of lives, both in the air and on the ground.