Air India crash: One black box recovered after over 200 killed

Authorities have recovered one of the two black boxes from the Air India flight that crashed in a densely populated area of Ahmedabad, killing more than 200 people.

The device, located at the rear of the aircraft, has been secured and will be analysed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to help determine the cause of the disaster, Caliber.Az reports via Indian media.

The second black box, located in the front section of the aircraft, is still missing, officials said.

To recall, the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, crashed into a residential area near Ahmedabad's civil hospital and BJ Medical College.

The majority of those on board — including passengers and crew — are feared dead. One passenger, identified as Ramesh Viswashkumar, seated in 11A, survived the crash.

Air India said the aircraft was carrying 230 passengers, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The crew included two pilots and ten other staff members.

There are also fears of casualties on the ground, although exact numbers have not yet been confirmed.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is among those killed, according to senior BJP leader C R Patil. Authorities are still working to identify victims and confirm the final death toll.

With one flight recorder secured, aviation investigators are focusing on recovering the second black box and gathering evidence from the crash site. The data will be crucial in piecing together what went wrong aboard Flight AI171.

By Aghakazim Guliyev