Air India Express Black Box Recovered after Crash
The black boxes on the Air India Express flight that crashed early Saturday morning have been recovered by investigators. The jet was traveling from Dubai to Mangalore when it plunged over a cliff after overshooting the Bajpe airport runway.
The plane broke in 2 pieces before catching on fire, and 158 crew and passengers were killed. This included 16 family members on their way to their grandmother’s funeral and 29 other women and 23 children. The carrier said that they have identified at least 146 of the people and were handing over their bodies to relatives for cremation and burial.
Despite all the people that died, there were 8 who survived. They were able to jump from the jet only seconds before it began to blaze. The passengers were sitting mainly in the center section of seats in economy-class, spread across various rows.
The table top runway at the airport ends in a valley, according to aviation experts. They say that a crash is inevitable here if the incoming aircraft doesn’t stop in time.
According to reports, investigators had to use cutters to locate the 2 black boxes, because they were twisted in the plane’s wreckage, which was scattered throughout the trees and thick grass of the hillside. Officials say that the pilot didn’t send a distress call. Authorities said that the pilot was experienced and an expatriate. He had negotiated the challenging approach to the runway earlier. The co-pilot was also experienced.
India’s safety record has been relatively good over the past 10 years. The last major crash that occurred was in July 2000 in the eastern city of Patna, where 50 passengers died.
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