The investigation into the devastating crash of Air India flight AI171 continues as authorities reveal the aircraft's black box has been damaged. Sources indicate that the data recorders—comprising both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—may need to be sent to the US for detailed data retrieval. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, D.C., is the likely destination, with Indian officials expected to accompany the devices to ensure procedural integrity.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick, crashed on June 12 just moments after takeoff. The aircraft barely climbed 600 feet before a distress signal was sent, and shortly thereafter, it crashed into a medical college hostel in the Meghani Nagar area. The tragic accident killed 241 of the 242 people on board, along with 33 civilians on the ground. Only one passenger, seated in 11A, survived.

The black box was located 28 hours after the crash. Despite their name, black boxes are painted bright orange for visibility. The CVR records cockpit conversations and audio alerts, while the FDR logs flight metrics like altitude, speed, and control input data. Although modern aircraft are equipped to store 25 hours of voice data, the 2014-built Boeing jet was likely only capable of storing two hours of audio.