The NTSB and AAIB are now jointly analyzing data from the CVR and FDR to reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments.
BY PC Bureau
Ahmedabad, June 16, 2025 — Investigators probing the deadly crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad have recovered the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), completing the retrieval of the aircraft’s black boxes and offering crucial insights into the tragedy that claimed 270 lives, including 241 passengers and crew on board.
The discovery comes days after the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was located at the crash site, and is expected to provide clarity on the final moments of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was en route to London Gatwick when it crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, plummeting into a densely populated neighborhood.
The announcement was made to PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the crash site on Sunday. He also met survivors undergoing treatment at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and later chaired a high-level review meeting with officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Airports Authority of India, and representatives from both central and state governments.
According to an official statement, both the CVR and FDR have been secured, allowing investigators to reconstruct cockpit conversations and analyze aircraft performance in the moments before the crash. The combination of audio and flight data will help determine whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or external factors were responsible for the accident.
Indian investigators have recovered the second black box from an Air India flight crashed in the city of Ahmedabad. Authorities say it was the cockpit voice recorder. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed last Thursday into a residential area moments after take-off. pic.twitter.com/zUJPk83Gia
— WatchTower 环球瞭望台 (@WatchTowerGW) June 16, 2025
The AAIB has launched a comprehensive investigation, and a parallel inquiry is underway by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in accordance with international aviation protocols, as the aircraft was manufactured in the United States.
Officials said the recovery of both black boxes will enable them to decode whether a distress signal or Mayday call was made by the pilots before the crash. Preliminary findings suggest the aircraft may have experienced a catastrophic systems failure, but authorities have not ruled out other scenarios.
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Among the 270 dead were five MBBS students and 29 people on the ground, highlighting the scale of civilian casualties caused by the aircraft’s impact in the residential area.
Mr. Mishra emphasized the need for transparency and speed in the investigation. “The government is committed to ensuring that the truth behind this horrific tragedy comes to light and that corrective steps are taken to prevent such incidents in the future,” he stated during the review session.
Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations continue in the affected neighborhood, with multiple families displaced and property losses still being assessed. Compensation packages and long-term rehabilitation plans are also being prepared, according to government officials.
