Officials said Wednesday that they had recovered the cockpit voice recorder in difficult circumstances. It was one of two black boxes carried by China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-801.
Due to heavy rains, the search was temporarily halted.
Boeing 737-800 was at 29,000 feet (8.800 meters) when it crashed into a gap in mountains near Wuzhou.
What have you discovered about recurrences?
The plane’s recorder, one the two “black boxes”, was damaged in both its exterior and inside. The unit’s damage will affect the speed at which it can be decoded and analysed in Beijing.
The cockpit recorder records conversations in the cockpit as well as other sounds. Other records data about speed, altitude and direction up or down as well as pilot actions, key system performance, and information about pilot actions. Now, we are focusing our search on the second box.
Sniffer dogs and drones were used to rescue people from dangerous situations. They also recovered wallets, ID cards, and other debris.
Authorities did not indicate that they had found survivors.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, debris is spread over an area that also includes the other side. The area of the main crash, which is now a barren pit within the mountainside forested, is approximately half the size a football field.
The area is surrounded by mountains on three sides and can be reached via a dirt road. Searchers will need to climb steep inclines.
What are INVESTIGATORS SAYING?
Investigators declined to discuss the possible causes of the crash.
Zhu Tao (director of CAAC’s Office of Aviation Safety) said that the aircraft sustained severe damage, making the investigation “very difficult.”
Zhu stated Tuesday that “we cannot have a clear assessment about the cause of the accident using the information currently available.”
He said that authorities are conducting an “in-depth investigation” into the design and maintenance of the aircraft, as well as weather control and air traffic control.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PLANE?
Sun Shiying, chairman of China Eastern Airlines’ Yunnan provincial branch, stated that the plane was in “technical condition” and could fly.
The plane flew from Kunming (the capital of Yunnan Province in the southwest) to Guangzhou in southeast.
President of the Flight Safety Foundation, Hassan Shahidi said that the 737-800 has a great safety record. It comes from a earlier version of the 737 series than those in the Boeing 737 Max fleet, which were grounded following crashes in 2018 and 2019. The flight control software used in the 737 Max crashes was not present on the 737-800.
HOW DID THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT REPLY?
The central government sent a team, led by Vice Premier Liu He, and a State Councilor Wang Yong to the scene to “guide rescue operations” and investigate the crash.
