FDR Has Been The Focus Of Nearly Two Years Of Searching The Ocean Floor

The French investigative agency BEA said Monday that its investigation team localized and identified the memory unit from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) from Air France Flight 447 at 1000 UTC. It was raised and lifted on board the ship Ile de Sein by the Remora 6000 ROV at 1640 UTC.

BEA Photo

The FDR has been the focus of nearly two years of searching the ocean floor for the wreckage of the plane, which went down June 1, 2009 in a thunderstorm over the Atlantic ocean. The plane had been on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. The device was found in nearly 13,000 feet of water. The Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA) did not comment as to the condition of the device, or the data it contains.

BEA Photo

It is hoped that the FDR can offer insight into what happened onboard the Air France A330. Pitot sensors were changed on many A330s following the accident after data from telemetry received from the aircraft was analyzed.

The cockpit voice recorder has not yet been located.

FMI: www.bea.aero