When it comes to determining what might have caused a plane to crash, black boxes are incredibly crucial.
Think of them like CCTVs in a place where a crime was committed, or a dashcam that happened to be right behind a road accident. They record important information about the events leading up to an incident.
On Wednesday (23 Mar), emergency workers found one of two black boxes from the China Eastern Airlines jet that nosedived into a mountainside with 132 passengers on board.
The device recovered is the cockpit voice recorder, which will be sent to Beijing for decoding.
According to Reuters, a Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) official said in a media briefing that while the exterior of the device is severely damaged, the recording materials are relatively complete.
The data is being sent to Beijing to be decoded and analysed. How long that process might take will depend on the extent of the damage.
Besides the cockpit voice recorder, there should also be a flight data recorder that logs information like the plane’s altitude and airspeed.
Global Times reported that search teams are still attempting to uncover the other black box.
China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 was travelling from Kunming to Guangzhou on Monday (20 Mar) when it suddenly lost altitude and plunged into a mountainous area in the Guangxi region.
The terrain around the crash site and bad weather have hampered rescue and recovery efforts.
Sadly, there are no signs of survivors so far.
According to the head of aircraft investigation at CAAC, the weather along the flight path did not pose any danger to the plane. Pilots also had communication with air controllers before its rapid descent.
The aircraft was reportedly in line with airworthiness standards, and all three pilots were in good health.
It can be difficult waiting for answers.
We’re sure the families of the victims are anxiously anticipating the results of the investigation, and we hope they will be able to find closure soon.
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Featured image adapted from Global Times on Facebook.
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