Ahmedabad, June 13, 2025
A significant breakthrough has been achieved in the investigation of the Air India Flight AI171 crash, which claimed 241 lives on June 12, 2025. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) recovered the flight’s black box, specifically the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), from the rooftop of the B.J. Medical College hostel mess building in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area, within 28 hours of the disaster. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed into a residential area moments after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and at least 24 on the ground.
The black box, comprising the FDR and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), is critical for reconstructing the flight’s final 30 seconds, during which a mayday call was issued. Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced the recovery, stating, “This marks an important step forward in the investigation.” The FDR, found on June 13, 2025, will be analyzed at specialized labs, potentially in Delhi, with support from UK and US agencies due to the Boeing 787’s involvement. Preliminary reports suggest possible bird strike-induced engine failure, though experts caution against speculation until data is decoded, a process that may take weeks.
Efforts to locate the second black box, likely the CVR, continue amidst the wreckage. Aviation experts emphasize the devices’ durability, designed to withstand extreme crashes, offering vital clues to causes like technical malfunctions or pilot communications. The investigation, involving India’s AAIB, US NTSB, and UK AAIB, aims to uncover why the aircraft failed to gain altitude, marking the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.