Ahmedabad, India – June 16, 2025: In a deeply tragic event, an Air India plane (AI-171), which was flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just 36 seconds after take-off. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost thrust and crashed into nearby residential buildings, killing 274 people, including 33 on the ground. However, in a miraculous twist, one passenger seated in 11A survived the disaster. This heartbreaking accident has shocked the entire nation and appears in today’s Daily news highlights.
Now, the ‘black box’ of the aircraft has been found. This key discovery could help experts understand what really went wrong. The black box includes two main components: the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). These tools are very important in any airplane crash investigation.
What is a Black Box?
- The black box is not actually black—it is usually orange for visibility.
- It stores pilot conversations, messages to and from Air Traffic Control (ATC), and technical flight data.
- The CVR records sounds inside the cockpit, like alarms and engine noise.
- The FDR records technical information such as speed, altitude, engine power, and more.
Together, these recorders provide a full picture of the flight’s final moments. Investigators can now begin to analyze what happened on board just before the crash.
Key Questions Investigators Want Answered
1. What Did the Pilot Say in the Final Moments?
According to officials, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal sent out a “Mayday, mayday” distress call just before the crash. Some reports suggest he also said “no power, no thrust.” These words could prove that the engines failed mid-air.
Experts are also considering other causes such as:
- A total electrical failure
- Maintenance errors
- A rare bird strike in both engines
The black box will help confirm or reject these theories.
2. When Exactly Was the Distress Call Sent?
The plane took off at 1:39 pm and crashed 36 seconds later. The CVR can tell the exact millisecond the distress message was sent. This will help investigators figure out:
- When the trouble began
- How long the pilots had to respond
- Whether the problem started before take-off or during the flight
Understanding this timeline is crucial to learning how this terrible accident happened.
3. What Did the Pilots and ATC Discuss?
The CVR will also reveal the full conversation between the pilots and with ATC. Although air traffic controllers have been interviewed, they may not remember all the details or the tone of the communication, which can reveal urgency or panic.
The CVR also records ambient sounds such as:
- Engine noise
- Cockpit alarms
- Vibrations and warning signals
This will show how the pilots reacted and what they were dealing with in their final seconds.
What Happens Next?
- Investigators will match the CVR audio with the FDR data.
- This will allow them to reconstruct the flight path of the doomed plane.
- The goal is to find out how the crash happened and how to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
This is a major step in the investigation, and updates are expected soon. The aviation community and the world are watching closely.
Daily news highlights continue to follow this story, bringing updates as new facts emerge. The recovery of the black box offers hope for answers and justice for the 274 lives lost in this heartbreaking disaster.
