Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
18 June 2025 | 13:26 CAT
3-minute read

Crashed Air India flight: cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recovered

The recovery is a key step in the investigation to determine what caused the Air India Flight 171 crash last Thursday. The CVR records and stores the audio signals of the microphones and earphones of the pilots’ headsets and of an area microphone installed in the cockpit.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London took off on Thursday from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. It was airborne for less than 40 seconds before crashing into a residential building, killing all but one of its 242 passengers and over 30 civilians on the ground.

Air crash investigators will be probing a myriad of different possible causes for the crash, including double engine failure due to bird strikes or fuel contamination, improperly extended flaps, maintenance errors during engine servicing, or accidental fuel cut-off.

During this week’s Media Lens, Hafidh Ibrahim highlighted the distinction between the Air India crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and previous high-profile crashes, which involved the Boeing 737 Max.

In stark contrast to the 737 Max, which became notorious after fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, the 787 Dreamliner had an exemplary safety record until last Thursday’s tragic Air India crash. There is currently no evidence to suggest any fault on Boeing’s side, and a fuller picture will emerge now that both the CVR and flight data recorder (FDR)—which logs crucial flight parameters like altitude, speed, and engine performance—have been recovered from the debris.

Media coverage

Hafidh Ibrahim observed that media coverage of the crash followed a familiar pattern seen in previous aviation disasters, dominating headlines for at least two days. He suggested that, in the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the crash may have received disproportionate attention—potentially overshadowing the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the enclave and across Palestine.

“There were 89 people that were reportedly killed in Gaza yesterday. It dominated news over those events,” Hafidh Ibrahim said.

He also warned that relentless crash coverage can heighten public paranoia.

“Media coverage…didn’t take into consideration and contextualise…the scale or how infrequent such incidents are,” Hafidh Ibrahim observed.

He pointed out that despite a rise in global air traffic accidents, the ratio remains minuscule—around 35 million flights last year and only 49 serious accidents thus far in 2025.

International studies show that media tends to overplay dramatic events while underreporting ongoing humanitarian crises. Displaced families in Gaza continue to suffer, with aid distribution zones becoming deadly—recent incidents near Khan Younis claimed dozens of civilians, according to the UN.

Aviation authorities emphasise that modern air travel remains the safest mode of transport. The RAT’s deployment—unique to extreme emergencies—signals its design functions, yet underscores systemic fragility.

Experts like Captain Steve Schreiber note that airline safety depends as much on operational protocols as on hardware upgrades. Investigators are expected to recommend adjustments to pre-flight checks, flap-lever settings, and maintenance routines.

Hafidh Ibrahim argues global media must strive for narrative balance. The disproportionate focus on the crash, he says, can inadvertently silence equally tragic stories—particularly civilian suffering in Gaza, where at least 35% of aid seekers have been killed en route to receive humanitarian assistance.

The official investigation could span over a year; safety regulators are expected to ground similar Boeing 787 aircraft if required, while GE Aerospace and Boeing support HAZMAT inspections.

Listen to the Media Lens on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.