Black Box Recovered From Crash Of Boeing 737 Jet Carrying 132 In China, State Broadcaster Says

One of two black boxes from the China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 has been recovered after two days of searching, a Chinese aviation official announced at a press conference on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CGTN.

Black boxes—which are actually painted bright orange to make them easier to find—are recording devices built to withstand extreme conditions like explosions, high temperatures and crashes that capture flight data and cockpit discussions to help investigations into any accidents or incidents.

The black box is “severely damaged” and investigators are unsure what information it carries, according to CGTN.

All-out efforts are being made to recover the second black box, said Mao Yanfeng, the director of the accident investigation division of the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC), according to multiple media reports.

Investigators are still unsure as to what caused the jet to rapidly lose speed and altitude in a near-vertical drop—it fell around 20,000 feet in one minute—and Mao said communications records show the crew “maintained normal communication” until the sudden drop in altitude.

Sun Shiying, chairman of China Eastern Airlines’ Yunnan branch, said the plane passed safety checks during pre-flight inspection, the three pilots were in good health and there were no reports of dangerous weather on the flight’s route.