India’s Civil Aviation Minister has confirmed that one of the black boxes from the crashed Air India Flight AI171 has been recovered, as families of the victims gather in grief and demand answers following one of the worst aviation disasters in recent Indian history.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, June 12, crashing into a residential neighbourhood and killing 241 of the 242 people on board.
Among the victims was 14-year-old Akash Patni, who was asleep on the ground when the aircraft struck the housing area. Authorities say at least eight people on the ground also lost their lives, though the final toll remains unconfirmed.
Sole Survivor Speaks from Hospital Bed
The only survivor, 28-year-old Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national seated in 11A, is currently being treated at a local hospital. Speaking to India’s DD News, he recounted the horror he witnessed, stating:
“I still cannot believe how I made it out alive. I saw the crew and passengers around me die instantly.”
Medical staff describe his survival as miraculous.
Black Box Discovery a Key Step
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed the recovery of one of the flight data recorders, often referred to as the black box, which will now be analysed as part of the investigation.
Teams from the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have arrived in India to assist the probe. Air India’s parent company Tata Group also confirmed their internal aviation team is on-site.
International Victims, Devastated Families
Air India confirmed the flight carried:
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169 Indian nationals
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53 British passengers
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7 Portuguese nationals
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1 Canadian
Six bodies have been identified and returned to families so far, based on visible features. However, DNA testing is now the primary method being used to identify the remaining victims due to the extent of the damage.
Dr Minakshi Parikh, dean of BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, said:
“We want to hand over the bodies as soon as possible. We are relying only on DNA matching now.”
Mourning Across India and Abroad
In Nava Sheva, a coastal village near Mumbai, a large crowd gathered to mourn Maithili Patil, a 23-year-old cabin crew member aboard the ill-fated flight. She was the first woman from her village to become an air hostess – a local icon whose death has left her entire community heartbroken.
“She was flying the world, and we were so proud,” a neighbour said. “Now it feels like we’ve lost a daughter.”
Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, residents held a candlelight vigil at the crash site, where recovery efforts continued into the night.
Ongoing Coverage and What Comes Next
As investigators sift through debris and interview witnesses, attention is turning to Boeing and the aircraft’s maintenance history. The recovered black box is expected to reveal more about the moments leading up to the crash.
Latest Developments:
Recovery teams remain at the site as forensic experts begin detailed work
The second black box (cockpit voice recorder) is still being searched for
Boeing has said it is “cooperating fully” with investigators
The crash has shaken India and the international community, with widespread grief and mounting pressure on authorities to determine what went wrong.
