India's Aviation Authorities Make Progress in Air India Flight Crash Investigation

In a significant advancement for the ongoing investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171, authorities have successfully retrieved data from both flight recorders—essential tools in determining the cause of the deadly incident.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed that investigators have recovered vital data from the flight recorders involved in the Air India crash that occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on June 12. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner tragically went down less than a minute into the flight, resulting in the loss of at least 270 lives.

Following the accident, the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as "black boxes," were retrieved from the crash site, with one located on a rooftop and the other amidst the wreckage. As part of the ongoing inquiry, a team from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), assisted by specialists from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), was able to access recorder data on Wednesday.

According to the aviation ministry, the analysis of both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) is now in progress. These devices provide comprehensive recordings of flight parameters, cockpit discussions, and other critical data that may shed light on the flight's last moments. "Our efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and to identify factors that could bolster aviation safety in the future," stated the ministry.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed optimism regarding a swift dissemination of the investigation's findings to boost public safety awareness. However, the delay in accessing the data prior to this point has raised eyebrows among aviation experts, who noted it as atypical.

Air India Flight 171, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar, was airborne for a mere 40 seconds before issuing a mayday call, marking one of the most bewildering aviation tragedies in recent Indian history.