Crash investigators from the United States have arrived at the scene in Ahmedabad, India, to assist local authorities in understanding the catastrophic circumstances surrounding one of the country's worst aviation disasters. A statement released by Indian government officials indicated that the cockpit voice recorder has been successfully recovered from the wreckage.
The team from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel investigation as the aircraft involved, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, is manufactured in the United States. Authorities confirmed that both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been located, with the crucial 'black box' devices expected to reveal insights into the final moments of the flight. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff while en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick Airport.
The devastating incident resulted in the loss of at least 270 lives, which included 241 passengers. The aircraft collided with several structures, including a dining hall at a local medical institution. The intensity of the inferno posed significant challenges for identifying the victims amidst the wreckage.
By Monday afternoon, Dr. Rakesh Joshi, superintendent of the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, noted that 99 victims had been identified through DNA matching with familial samples. So far, the remains of 64 victims have been handed back to their families. Dr. Joshi remarked, "Slowly and steadily the process is becoming faster. We’ll finish in a day or two.” The investigation continues as the NTSB collaborates with Indian authorities to uncover the factors leading to this tragedy.
