The black box of the Air India Flight AI 171, which crashed in Ahmedabad, has been found on the rooftop of a medical college hostel building that the plane hit. The crash killed at least 265 people, with only one person surviving. The black box is a vital tool that will help investigators find out what went wrong.
What is a Black Box?
The black box is a tough, crash-proof device located at the tail of an aircraft. It contains two important tools:
- Flight Data Recorder (FDR): Records all technical details like speed, altitude, and engine performance.
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): Captures conversations between the pilots during the flight, up until the crash.
This information will help investigators understand the sequence of events before the crash.
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How Was It Found?
A special investigation team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found the black box on the rooftop of the resident doctors’ hostel building. Over 40 staff from the Gujarat government joined efforts with the Civil Aviation Ministry to assist in the investigation at the crash site.
More Evidence Collected
Along with the black box, investigators are also collecting Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), which store CCTV footage from inside the plane, including the cockpit and passenger cabin. These videos can give more clues about what happened.
About the Crash
- The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just one minute after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
- It was headed for London.
- The aircraft crashed straight into the medical hostel building and caught fire.
- There were 241 people on board, and sadly, only one survived.
Government Action
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met the injured at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. A forensics team is also at the site to collect more evidence.
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced ₹1 crore compensation for the families of each person who lost their life in the crash.
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The exact cause of the crash is still unknown. The government has set up a special investigation panel to find out what went wrong and ensure better aviation safety in the future.
