The Wall Street Journal is reporting 'good news' in recovering information . . .
Air NZ black boxes uncover 'useful info'
Two black boxes from the Air New Zealand Airbus which crashed off the French coast in November have given investigators some useful information.
The Wall Street Journal reported investigators got some good news this week when the manufacturer of the aircraft's data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, known as the black boxes, retrieved useful data.
Until now investigators had been stymied in their search for clues to what made the three-year-old, 150-seat Airbus A320 crash into the sea near Perpignan, off the southern coast of France on November 28.
There was no mayday call from the two German pilots doing the assessment flight before the aircraft was returned to Air New Zealand after being leased to the German company XL Airways.
Both pilots and five New Zealanders on board were killed. The bodies of six victims had been recovered but one was still missing.
Most of the wreckage still lay in about 40 metres of water and New Zealand authorities said earlier this week if enough useful information was retrieved from the black boxes to determine the cause of the crash, French authorities may leave most of the wreckage where it lay.
The Wall Street Journal said the crash inquiry was being closely watched by the global aviation community because the twin-engine A320 was a workhorse of airlines around the globe.