Haveri (Karnataka) [India], June 13 : A day after the horrific crash of a London-bound Air India plane in Ahmedabad, more than 500 students, teachers, and staff members of Sir M Vishweshwarayya School in Haveri, Karnataka, on Friday paid tribute to the victims by observing silence.
The school teachers and staff also lit candles and paid floral tributes to the people who lost their lives on Thursday.
Meanwhile, 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 the Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad.
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.
Air India's flight AI 171 was carrying 242 people when it crashed into a doctor's hostel near the Ahmedabad airport shortly after take-off.