Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 15 (ANI): Gujarat State administration had arranged for the death certificates of those who died in the recent Air India plane crash to be issued directly at the hospital, sparing grieving families the need to visit multiple offices, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani said on Sunday.

Further, Pani said, that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is probing the crash of the AI-171 flight bound for London that crashed in a residential area in Meghaninagar including the BJ Medical college complex, on June 12 shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad international airport, has successfully retrieved the aircraft's black box.

'....the black box had to be recovered. The black box is either in the front or in the back. Fortunately, in this case, the tail end (of the plane) was not destroyed, and it was stuck in the first building. The AAIB team requested that cranes, labourers, and engineers be provided to recover the black box. After this, the Black box was recovered...' the Ahmedabad Municipal commissioner said.

'After that, we ensured that people should not go to offices for death certificates. A single-window system was created, and the death certificates were issued then and there,' he said.

On Thursday, the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff. There were 242 people on board, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.

Of the passengers, 241 died in the crash. The lone survivor, identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment.

'101 fire vehicles were there, more than 100 ambulances, including 35 ambulances from private trusts. Around 46 different earthmover equipment, including JCB, excavators, and Cranes, were there. The entire operation was carried out in a swift, coordinated and quick manner. We found that the wing of the aircraft was obstructing the movement of ambulances in the internal area...We took a decision to remove this obstruction. For a green corridor for the ambulances, this wing had to be removed... The operation had to be continued in the evening, so the light arrangement had to be done. There were more than 100 LEDs, flood lights, with 5 DG sets, so that there should not be any problem as far as lighting arrangement is concerned...' the Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner said.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday 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 AACB 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 241 people onboard, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The investigation is underway, and the recovered DFDR is expected to provide vital insights into the events leading up to the disaster.

Meanwhile, Air India said on Saturday that it will provide an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and to the survivor of the plane crash in Ahmedabad to help address immediate financial needs in addition to the Rs one crore support already announced by Tata Sons.

Air India said it stands in solidarity with the families of the passengers who tragically lost their lives in the recent accident. (ANI)