First black box recovered in EgyptAir crash

The flight data recorder from EgyptAir flight 990 was recovered today, raising hopes that it will hold data that will help explain what caused the flight to crash on October 31 in the Atlantic Ocean.

The US Navy's remotely-operated Deep Drone robot recovered the recorder from a depth of about 245 feet. The recorder, or "black box," is being taken to the headquarters of the US National Transportation Safety Board, which will examine its contents.

The navy robot, which is operating from the salvage and rescue ship USS Grapple, continues to search for the airplane's other "black box," the cockpit voice recorder.

A second robot, the Magnum, was damaged as it searched for the recorders, but is expected to rejoin the search after repairs are completed.

217 people died in the crash of EgyptAir flight 990, on board a Boeing 767 jet that had left New York for Cairo early on October 31 that crashed off the east coast of the USA.