The second black box of a crashed China Eastern Boeing 737-800 carrying over 100 passengers was found on Sunday as investigators try to piece together what caused the wreck.
Firefighters searching the wreckage of the plane in southern China found the data recorder, confirmed by experts to be the second black box, on a mountain slope about 130 feet from the point of impact and 5 feet underground.
Images posted by China Global Television Network showed an official holding an orange, dented cylindrical object on-site with the words “FLIGHT RECORDER” and “DO NOT OPEN” written on it, according to the Associated Press.
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The first of two black boxes, the cockpit voice recorder, was found on Wednesday, two days after the plane crashed. A cockpit voice recorder captures sounds, including the cockpit crew’s conversation and background noise, while a flight data recorder can record information about the plane’s airspeed, altitude, direction, and more.
The search, which has been complicated due to rain and muddy conditions at the crash site, was paused Sunday afternoon for a 3-minute moment of silence for the 123 passengers and nine crew members who were confirmed dead by Chinese state media on Saturday.
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“We extend our deepest condolences for the loss of those on board China Eastern Airlines Flight MU 5735,” Boeing said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers and crew, their families, and all those affected by this accident.”
Boeing also said it is providing a technical team to support the National Transportation Safety Board and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which will lead the investigation.
