Black Box Found as Families Mourn 241 Dead in Air India Disaster
India’s Civil Aviation Minister has confirmed the recovery of one black box from the doomed Air India Flight AI171. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed just after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 on board. Families are devastated, demanding answers after one of India’s worst aviation tragedies.
Lone Survivor Tells Harrowing Tale
The sole survivor, 28-year-old British passenger Vishwashkumar Ramesh, is in hospital recovering. Speaking to India’s DD News, he said:
“I still cannot believe how I made it out alive. I saw the crew and passengers around me die instantly.”
His survival is being described as nothing short of miraculous.
Black Box Recovery Brings Hope for Answers
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed the flight data recorder’s recovery. Experts from the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and Air India’s parent Tata Group are now working on site.
The second black box—the cockpit voice recorder—is still missing but being actively searched for. Boeing insists it is “cooperating fully” with investigators.
Death Toll Soars, DNA Testing Underway
The crash devastated not only the passengers but also villagers on the ground, with at least eight deaths reported outside the plane. Among the victims was 14-year-old Akash Patni, who was sleeping when the jet hit a residential area.
Air India confirmed the flight included:
- 169 Indian nationals
- 53 British passengers
- 7 Portuguese nationals
- 1 Canadian
Only six bodies have been identified by visible features. The rest require DNA testing due to severe damage, said Dr Minakshi Parikh from Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical College:
“We want to hand over the bodies as soon as possible. We are relying only on DNA matching now.”
Nation and Diaspora in Mourning
In the coastal village of Nava Sheva, locals grieved the loss of Maithili Patil, a 23-year-old cabin crew member and local trailblazer, hailed as a hero. A neighbour mourned:
“She was flying the world, and we were so proud. Now it feels like we’ve lost a daughter.”
Meanwhile, candlelight vigils lit up Ahmedabad at the crash site, where recovery efforts pressed on deep into the night.
Investigations Intensify
- Forensics teams comb through wreckage for clues
- Black box data to reveal critical last moments
- Maintenance history of the Boeing 787 under scrutiny
The tragedy has gripped India and global aviation communities, raising urgent questions about safety and accountability.
