Officials said they had found the cockpit voice recorder that may provide crucial clues about what caused the Air India flight to crash, killing at least 270 people.

The Air India flight fell from the sky on Thursday and killed at least 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said Saturday.

Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the crashed Air India flight, a key step in uncovering what caused last week's deadly accident.

Residents of the building have said they owe their lives to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Captain Clive Kunder.

Air India's Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff that last week's plane crash that killed at least 271 people should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism.

Rupani was among the 242 people aboard the doomed Flight AI171 that took off from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12 and was en route to London's Gatwick airport. The BJP leader was on his way to meet his daughter in the British capital.

Tragedy struck this week when a plane crashed in the city of Ahmedabad just shortly after takeoff, leaving investigators and aviation officials with many questions.

Authorities and insurers have launched on-site camps and helpdesks at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to ensure quick and compassionate settlement of insurance claims.