The death toll in the Air India Flight AI 171 crash has touched 274 with 29 more mortal remain being extricated from the mangled remains of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This grim update makes it the worst single-aircraft disaster in the history of Indian aviation, with casualties now exceeding the 241 passengers and crew initially believed to be on board.

The higher toll suggests that at least 33 victims were likely individuals on the campus of Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College, including doctors, their family members, medical students, and workers in the Meghaninagar neighbourhood.

The crucial black box was discovered on Friday on the rooftop of the students' mess hall within the medical college campus, according to Joint Commissioner of Police (Sector 1) Neeraj Badgujar. The aircraft's emergency location transmitter was found on Thursday night. Overnight search operations were concentrated on the campus buildings that bore the brunt of the impact and the surrounding areas.

"We have sent 319 body parts, including complete and partial remains, for DNA matching to confirm the victims' identities," a state government official stated. Beyond the 241 victims on board, previously confirmed casualties included three doctors and the pregnant wife of a neurosurgery resident.

A fourth doctor, identified as MBBS student Jay Prakash Chaudhary, who was initially reported missing, had his body identified by his family on Friday.

Black Box critical to investigation

The recovery of the black box, which includes both the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), occurred more than 28 hours after the accident. The device was found on the rooftop of the undergraduate and postgraduate mess building at BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar, the same area where the aircraft crashed into the hostel and mess facilities minutes after departing from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed the discovery. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also announced the recovery on social media, emphasizing that it would be of "significant help in determining the cause of the accident."

Meanwhile, Ahmedabad city police have registered a case of accidental death at Meghaninagar police station and commenced their investigation. Police received the first call about the crash and subsequent fire at 1:44 PM on Thursday. The crash site is located within the Old IGP Campus, which houses residential blocks for MBBS students and resident doctors affiliated with BJ Medical College and the Civil Hospital.

Officials have indicated that most passengers and crew suffered severe burns, making identification difficult. Their remains have been transported to the Civil Hospital for forensic analysis. Casualties among the residents of the hostel buildings have also been reported, though the government has yet to release specific figures for these victims.

Central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), visited the crash site on Friday. While foul play has not been officially ruled out, the primary focus of the investigation remains on gathering flight data and evidence to understand the technical and/or human factors that may have led to the devastating crash.