The black boxes of the Air India 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed on takeoff in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday have been recovered.
The boxes record flight information and are located in the tail of the aircraft. Photographs of the accident site show the remains of the tail atop a building where the jet came down.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the investigation. U.S. investigators are heading to India to assist.
- READ MORE: Boeing 787 Crashes in India
Video of the aircraft’s takeoff shows the landing gear remained down as it climbed out. Normal procedure is for the landing gear to be retracted when the aircraft is approximately 50 feet over the runway. The video shows the Dreamliner sinking below the rooftops, and there is an explosion, and a plume of black smoke fills the sky as the fuel-laden aircraft burns.
The aircraft crashed into the cafeteria building of a medical college during lunch. Investigators say the intensity of the fire and not knowing how many people were inside at the time of the accident are making it difficult to determine how many victims there are.
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The airliner was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crewmembers. The was at least lone survivor of the crash who told authorities that, approximately 30 seconds into the takeoff, there was a loud bang, and then the aircraft went down.
Passenger Vishwaskumar Ramesh was seated in an exit row.
“Everything happened in front of my eyes,” Ramesh said in an interview with NDTV India. “I thought I would die. The side where I was seated fell into the ground floor of the building. There was some space. When the door broke, I saw that space, and I just jumped out.”
Ramesh was traveling with his brother, who has not been found yet.
According to a statement from Air India, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad at approximately 1:38 p.m. local time and was heading to the United Kingdom. Just after liftoff the pilot declared an emergency, but the nature of the issue has not been made public at this time.
The crash represents the first accident involving a Boeing 787-8.
Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg issued a statement Thursday expressing condolences to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171.
“As well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad, I have spoken with Air India chairman [Natarjan] Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau,” Ortberg said.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
