Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 13 : In the wake of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed deep concern over the incident, calling it "one of the biggest tragedies in recent times" and urging the Union Government to take serious cognizance of the matter.
Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, "This tragedy is one of the biggest in recent times. We are all worried about the safety of all the passengers. The government of India will have to look at this issue very seriously. It is not a small concern..."
He also emphasised the implications of the crash, particularly on the image of India's civil aviation globally.
"The image of the aviation industry, Indian Airlines, has become a huge discussion point in the entire country and the world. Let us see what the government of India comes out with...," he said.
On Thursday, the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft bound for London's Gatwick had crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad International Airport. The airlines said only one out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash.
Meanwhile, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that the Flight Data Recorder, commonly known as the black box, was recovered within 28 hours from the Air India plane crash site in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.
In a post on X, the minister wrote, "The Flight Data Recorder (Black Box) has been recovered within 28 hours from the accident site in Ahmedabad by AAIB. This marks an important step forward in the investigation. This will significantly aid the enquiry into the incident."
Earlier in the day, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed the recovery of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), commonly referred to as the black box, from the rooftop of a building at the site of crash.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarified that, contrary to circulating reports, a video recorder that had been recovered at the crash site was not the DFDR. The AAIB has launched a full-scale investigation into the crash, with over 40 staff from the Gujarat State Government joining efforts to support the Ministry of Civil Aviation teams on the ground.
The black box, a critical piece of evidence, will be analysed to determine the cause of the tragic crash that claimed the lives of all 241 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
"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 augment MoCA teams on site. The DFDR has been recovered from the rooftop," said the statement of the Ministry of Civil Aviation The investigation is underway, and the recovered DFDR is expected to provide vital insights into the events leading up to the disaster.
The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC.
Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter, and heavy black smoke began emanating from the accident site. Vishwashkumar Ramesh miraculously survived the Air India plane crash a day ago, in which 241 other passengers died.
Kumar, a British national of Indian origin, was seated in row 11, at the left window seat in the flight's economy class section, right behind an emergency exit. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board the crashed plane, airline authorities said.