Details Emerge on Air India Flight AI171 Pilot’s Last Actions Before Crash
Aside from initial reports about Air India Flight AI171’s crash, details concerning what the pilot did before the tragedy occurred have been unveiled.
A devastating tragedy unfolded in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon when Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff, leaving the nation in shock and sorrow. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, was en route to London Gatwick when it suddenly encountered trouble just seconds into its flight.
Commanding the aircraft was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who issued an urgent Mayday call — the most severe emergency signal in aviation — moments before all contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) was lost.
The distress call, which is internationally recognized and must be repeated three times for clarity — “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” — marked the pilot’s final communication before the plane vanished from radar.
Despite repeated efforts from ATC to reconnect, there was no further response from the cockpit, as confirmed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). At approximately 1:39 p.m. IST, the aircraft crashed into the Meghaninagar neighborhood, a residential area just outside the airport’s perimeter.
The plane crash site erupted in flames and was soon engulfed in thick, black smoke that towered over the city skyline. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene immediately, launching a rescue operation amid the wreckage. More details on the story will follow shortly.
