Summary of Sole survivor of Air India crash describes the moments after impact
The video covers the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner shortly after takeoff, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 290 people, including those on board and on the ground. The plane crashed into a residential building housing medical students in India’s western city. Remarkably, there was one sole survivor, a 38-year-old British passenger seated in 11A, who escaped through the emergency door and walked away from the wreckage. He described hearing a loud bang about 30 seconds after takeoff and then the rapid crash, witnessing others perish around him.
Journalist Ritika Sood reported from near the crash site, highlighting that the tail of the plane remains precariously lodged on top of a building. Authorities have recovered the flight data recorder (black box) from the rear of the aircraft, a critical piece for the ongoing investigation. DNA matching of victims is expected to take days or weeks, prolonging the wait for families.
Experts provided analysis on the crash and investigation:
- CNN safety analyst and former FAA inspector David Susi called the survivor’s escape “miraculous,” suggesting his seat’s location above the wing spar, the plane’s heaviest structural part, may have contributed to his survival.
- Susi noted several possible causes under investigation, including a bird strike, double engine failure, and whether the plane’s flaps were deployed. He explained that the flaps’ position might not necessarily indicate a malfunction, as different takeoff procedures exist depending on conditions.
- Boeing is fully cooperating and will play a key role in interpreting the extensive data available from the recovered flight data recorder, which contains thousands of data points about the plane’s operation.
CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo, former Department of Transportation inspector general, emphasized the importance of the flight data recorder, which will provide detailed information on cockpit communications, engine performance, and control settings such as flap deployment. The cockpit voice recorder is still missing. She also confirmed that India’s aviation regulator has ordered safety inspections of all Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliners, a standard precautionary step after such incidents. Schiavo noted ongoing investigations into Boeing 787 operations by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, highlighting prior issues with other Boeing models and the importance of thorough scrutiny.
The video also mentioned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the crash site and hospital, where he met the injured and the sole survivor.
Presenters/Contributors:
- Ritika Sood (Journalist reporting from crash site)
- David Susi (CNN Safety Analyst, former FAA safety inspector)
- Mary Schiavo (CNN Aviation Analyst, former Department of Transportation Inspector General)
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News and Commentary