Black boxes analyzed for cause of Air India crash that killed 270
Family members and relatives of Akash Patni, victim of the Air India plane crash, grieve during his funeral procession in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
NEW DELHI — Investigators in India are studying the black boxes of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner after recovering them from the aircraft wreckage to ascertain the cause of last week's plane crash that left at least 270 people dead.
The black boxes will provide cockpit conversations and data related to the plane's engine and control settings to investigators and help them in determining the cause of the crash.
The London-bound Air India aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed on a medical college hostel soon after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, while 241 people on board and 29 on the ground were killed in one of India's worst aviation disaster in decades.
Experts from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are probing the crash with assistance from the U.K., the U.S. and officials from Boeing.
Black box data is crucial
Amit Singh, a former pilot and an aviation expert, said the recovery of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, or black boxes, are crucial to piece together the sequence of events.
The cockpit voice recorder records pilots' conversation, emergency alarms and any distress signal made before a crash. The plane's digital flight data recorder stores information related to engine and control settings. Both devices are designed to survive a crash.
'The data will reveal everything,' Singh said, adding that the technical details could be corroborated by the cockpit voice recorder that would help investigators know of any communication between air traffic control and the pilots.
India's aviation regulatory body has said the aircraft made a mayday call before the crash.
Singh said the investigating authorities will scan CCTV footage of the nearby area and speak with witnesses to get to the root cause of the crash.
Additionally, Singh said, the investigators will also study the pilot training records, total load of the aircraft, thrust issues related to the plane's engine, as well as its worthiness in terms of past performances and any previously reported issues.
Investigation into the crash could take time
Aurobindo Handa, former director general of India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, said the investigators across the world follow a standard UN-prescribed Manual of Accident Investigation, also called 'DOC 9756,' which outlines detailed procedures to arrive at the most probable cause of a crash.
Handa said the investigation into last week's crash would likely be a long process as the aircraft was badly charred. He added that ascertaining the condition of the black boxes recovered from the crash site was vital as the heat generated from the crash could be possibly higher than the bearable threshold of the device.
The Indian government has set up a separate, high-level committee to examine the causes leading to the crash and formulate procedures to prevent and handle aircraft emergencies in the future. The committee is expected to file a preliminary report within three months.
Authorities have also begun inspecting and carrying out additional maintenance and checks of Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners to prevent any future incident. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet.
The plane that crashed was 12 years old. Boeing planes have been plagued by safety issues on other types of aircraft. There are currently around 1,200 of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft worldwide and this was the first deadly crash in 16 years of operation, according to experts.
Sheikh Saaliq And Rajesh Roy, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Province
12 hours ago
- The Province
40 years on, families of Air India disaster find peace and comfort in small Irish town
On Monday, June 23, family members of the people killed in the bombing of Air India Flight 182 will join Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, representatives of the Indian government and a group of B.C. RCMP officers to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. Babu Turlapati in Ahakista, Ireland on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Photo by Kim Bolan / Postmedia AHAKISTA, Ireland — As Padmini Turlapati sat on a bench in front of the Air India memorial on Saturday, she looked out at the sea and said she felt her sons Sanjay and Deepak were with her. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors 'I feel very serene and I see Sanjay in the air, blowing all over me, and Deepak flowing towards me, saying, 'Hi mom, welcome,'' Turlapati, 84, said. 'I feel like I'm connected with them, then I internalize that feeling and take it home with me for another 365 days.' Sanjay was 14 and Deepak 11 when they travelled from Toronto on Air India Flight 182 to visit relatives in India in June 1985. When the plane was brought down near Ahakista by a B.C.-made bomb — their parents' world was shattered. Sanjay's body was among 132 recovered, while Deepak was never found. Padmini and her husband, Babu, have made the pilgrimage to the rocky coastline every June since, to connect with their children and feel the warm embrace of the Irish people who help mourn them. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I feel them when I am here. That's all I have,' Padmini said, with a photo of the smiling boys visible behind her on the memorial wall. Babu said he and his wife 'come here to be with our son, who is still in the waters. We just feel that we are visiting him by coming here every year.' They get strength from the trip despite the tragic circumstances that led to the deep bond they now share with the Irish people. 'The local community, local officials, they all take care of us as we are coming back year after year, considering us as part of their family,' he said. 'That's where we are getting all the peace of mind and strength.' The Turlapatis also connect here with other relatives of the 329 victims who died that day. They don't talk much here about the B.C.-based Babbar Khalsa separatist group behind the bombing and a same day blast at Tokyo's Narita Airport that killed two baggage handlers. They don't focus on an unsuccessful B.C. prosecution of the two main suspects. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Padmini Turlapati, left, and Saroj Gaur, right meet each other at the Air India memorial in Ahakista, Ireland on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Turlapati lost her two sons, while Gaur lost her father in the bombing of Flight 182. Photo by Kim Bolan / Postmedia They hug and smile and catch up. They touch their loved ones' names on the memorial wall that was built within a year of the terrorist attack. They walk on the rocky shore and seek solace in the sound of the lapping waves. 'We cannot reverse the events that have happened, but we can come to terms with them and live at peace with them and find beauty in the remaining part of our lives, in the memory of them,' Padmini said. 'The negatives have all gone away. I don't think of anything negative. I only think about me and my children and the peace that has come from that.' Both Turlapatis have been instrumental in organizing the annual service where a moment of silence at 8:13 a.m. on June 23 marks the time the plane exploded. They have worked to create colourful gardens surrounding the memorial wall. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sign at entrance of Air India memorial in Ahakista, Ireland on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Photo by Kim Bolan / Postmedia A larger than usual crowd is expected Monday, June 23 to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing. Dozens of relatives have travelled from Canada. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree will be here, as will Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin and representatives of the Indian government. Several RCMP officers from B.C. are also here to participate. The Mounties and several relatives gathered informally at the memorial Saturday as rain threatened overhead. Saroj Gaur hugged Padmini, who she calls 'auntie' because of the support Gaur was offered by the Turlapatis when her father Om Prakash Sharma died in the bombing. Sharma had immigrated from India to work as a high school teacher in Newfoundland and support his large family. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Air India memorial in Ahakista, Ireland overlooks the ocean near where the plane exploded on June 23, 1985. Photo by Kim Bolan Gaur, who now lives in Toronto, said her dad wanted her to travel with him to India for the summer break. But she was 23, had just finished her studies and wanted to look for work. She was job-hunting in Toronto when she got the news about the flight from a family friend. Despite her father's contributions to Canada, she still feels that Canadians don't care. 'We were living in Canada, paying our taxes. My father was teaching Canadian children, and it hurts when he wasn't recognized. You know that it's a Canadian tragedy,' Gaur said with tears in her eyes. Padmini Turlapati, of Toronto, sits in front of the Air India memorial in Ahakista, Ireland, on June 21, 2025. A photo of her two dead sons Sanjay and Deepak is just above her head. Photo by Kim Bolan / Postmedia She also finds comfort here, near to her father, whose body wasn't recovered. 'This is my third trip. When we were driving down here, I felt something very touching. I felt like I'm coming to my own place,' she said. 'I was feeling so joyous. I felt like I belong here.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She is also grateful to the Irish for their support over four decades. 'The Irish people made this beautiful monument here. It doesn't matter how many times you come here, how many times you've seen it, you still want to come back. This is the place where they lost their life and you can't forget it.' Sanjay Lazar, who lives in Pune, India, was just 17 when he lost his father Sampath, stepmother Sylvia and toddler sister Sandeeta to the bomb planted by B.C. terrorists. His mom's body was recovered, but neither was his dad's nor his little sister's. It is here that Lazar feels closest to his family. For many years after he was orphaned, Lazar ran away from his pain. Four years ago, that all changed here at the memorial when he felt for the first time that his family was sending him a message. 'If I have the means, the ability and the health, I'll come here every year now because it makes me feel one with the family I lost,' he said. kbolan@ Read More
Vancouver Sun
16 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
40 years on, families of Air India disaster find peace and comfort in small Irish town
AHAKISTA, Ireland — As Padmini Turlapati sat on a bench in front of the Air India memorial on Saturday, she looked out at the sea and said she felt her sons Sanjay and Deepak were with her. 'I feel very serene and I see Sanjay in the air, blowing all over me, and Deepak flowing towards me, saying, 'Hi mom, welcome,'' Turlapati, 84, said. 'I feel like I'm connected with them, then I internalize that feeling and take it home with me for another 365 days.' Sanjay was 14 and Deepak 11 when they travelled from Toronto on Air India Flight 182 to visit relatives in India in June 1985. When the plane was brought down near Ahakista by a B.C.-made bomb — and their parents' world was shattered. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Sanjay's body was among 132 recovered, while Deepak was never found. Turlapati and her husband Babu, have made the pilgrimage to the rocky coastline every June since, to connect with their children and feel the warm embrace of the Irish people who help mourn them. 'I feel them when I am here. That's all I have,' Padmini said, with a photo of the smiling boys visible behind her on the memorial wall. Babu said he and his wife 'come here to be with our son, who is still in the waters. We just feel that we are visiting him by coming here every year.' They get strength from the trip despite the tragic circumstances that led to the deep bond they now share with the Irish people. 'The local community, local officials, they all take care of us as we are coming back year after year, considering us as part of their family,' he said. 'That's where we are getting all the peace of mind and strength.' The Turlapatis also connect here with other relatives of the 329 victims who died that day. They don't talk much here about the B.C.-based Babbar Khalsa separatist group behind the bombing and a same day blast at Tokyo's Narita Airport that killed two baggage handlers. They don't focus on an unsuccessful B.C. prosecution of the two main suspects. They hug and smile and catch up. They touch their loved ones' names on the memorial wall that was built within a year of the terrorist attack. They walk on the rocky shore and seek solace in the sound of the lapping waves. 'We cannot reverse the events that have happened, but we can come to terms with them and live at peace with them and find beauty in the remaining part of our lives, in the memory of them,' Turlapati said. 'The negatives have all gone away. I don't think of anything negative. I only think about me and my children and the peace that has come from that.' Both Turlapatis have been instrumental in organizing the annual service where a moment of silence at 8:13 a.m. on June 23 marks the time the plane exploded. They have worked to create colourful gardens surrounding the memorial wall. A larger than usual crowd is expected Monday, June 23 to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing. Dozens of relatives have travelled from Canada. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree will be here, as will Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin and representatives of the Indian government. Several RCMP officers from B.C. are also here to participate. The Mounties and several relatives gathered informally at the memorial Saturday as rain threatened overhead. Saroj Gaur hugged Turlapati, who she calls 'auntie' because of the support Gaur was offered by the Turlapatis when her father Om Prakash Sharma died in the bombing. Sharma had immigrated from India to work as a high school teacher in Newfoundland and support his large family. Gaur, who now lives in Toronto, said her dad wanted her to travel with him to India for the summer break. But she was 23, had just finished her studies and wanted to look for work. She was job-hunting in Toronto when she got the news about the flight from a family friend. Despite her father's contributions to Canada, she still feels that Canadians don't care. 'We were living in Canada, paying our taxes. My father was teaching Canadian children, and it hurts when he wasn't recognized. You know that it's a Canadian tragedy,' Gaur said with tears in her eyes. She also finds comfort here, near to her father, whose body wasn't recovered. 'This is my third trip. When we were driving down here, I felt something very touching. I felt like I'm coming to my own place,' she said. 'I was feeling so joyous. I felt like I belong here.' She is also grateful to the Irish for their support over four decades. 'The Irish people made this beautiful monument here. It doesn't matter how many times you come here, how many times you've seen it, you still want to come back. This is the place where they lost their life and you can't forget it.' Sanjay Lazar, who lives in Pune, India, was just 17 when he lost his father Sampath, stepmother Sylvia and toddler sister Sandeeta to the bomb planted by B.C. terrorists. His mom's body was recovered, but neither was his dad's nor his little sister's. It is here that Lazar feels closest to his family. For many years after he was orphaned, Lazar ran away from his pain. Four years ago, that all changed here at the memorial when he felt for the first time that his family was sending him a message. 'If I have the means, the ability and the health, I'll come here every year now because it makes me feel one with the family I lost,' he said. kbolan@
CTV News
16 hours ago
- CTV News
2 killed in plane crash in eastern Alberta
Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) signage is pictured outside TSB offices in Ottawa, Monday, May 1, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick) Two people died in a plane crash in eastern Alberta on Saturday. The plane crashed shortly before 12:30 p.m. 1.2 kilometres short of the Vermilion Airport runway, according to local RCMP. It had only two occupants: the pilot, a 46-year-old woman from Slave Lake, Alta., and a passenger, a 76-year-old man from Mannville, Alta. The Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
