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The black box from the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed right after takeoff in Ahmedabad has been recovered. This important device, which stores key flight information, was found on the roof of the doctors’ hostel that the plane hit during the crash.

A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), along with 40 members from the Gujarat government, located the digital flight data recorder (DFDR), also known as the black box. Though it's called a black box, the device is actually bright orange so it can be seen easily in debris or underwater. It is made to survive high heat, water, and strong impact.

#WATCH | Gujarat ATS recovered a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) from the debris of the Air India plane that crashed yesterday in Ahmedabad.

An ATS personnel says, "It's a DVR, which we have recovered from the debris. The FSL team will come here soon." pic.twitter.com/zZg9L4kptY

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2025

The black box holds important data such as flight speed, altitude, engine performance, and cockpit audio, including conversations between the pilots and air traffic control. It’s made of tough materials like steel and titanium and has two main parts: the DFDR and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The DFDR records technical flight details, while the CVR captures sounds and conversations in the cockpit.

Ahmedabad Plane Crash | Contrary to some reports, the video recorder being circulated is not the DFDR (Digital Flight Data Recorder). The black box was found on the rooftop. AAIB began work with full force immediately. Over 40 staff from the State Government joined efforts to… pic.twitter.com/emstqF3G9l

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2025

 

Also Read: Amit Shah reviews situation in Ahmedabad, meets survivor

The Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London, operated by the Tata Group, had 242 people on board. Tragically, only one person—a British citizen of Indian origin—survived. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said that investigation teams from India, the United States, and the United Kingdom have reached the crash site in the past 24 hours. “These trained investigators will help us understand why this routine flight turned into a disaster,” he said.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed was 12 years old. CCTV footage from the Ahmedabad airport showed the plane speeding up on the runway and taking off normally at first. Nothing appeared wrong at that moment. But just seconds after takeoff, the aircraft didn’t rise as high as it should have. It flew level for a short time before losing altitude.

The video clearly showed that the flight was in trouble—and it wasn't going to make it. The plane then crashed into the doctors’ hostel of a nearby medical college, located not far from the end of the runway.

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