Ahmedabad: A chilling “Mayday” call was the final transmission from Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, pilot of Air India flight AI 171, moments before the aircraft tragically crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 270 people, including 29 on the ground.
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had taken off from Ahmedabad at 1:39 PM, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport. Just seconds after takeoff, the aircraft failed to climb beyond 650 feet. In response, Captain Sabharwal issued a full emergency distress call to the Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) — “Mayday!”
“After issuing the call, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly and crashed exactly a minute later in Meghaninagar, about 2 km from the airport,” said SK Sinha, Secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The crash site, horrifyingly, was the hostel of BJ Medical College, where 29 people perished along with 241 passengers and crew aboard the flight. Only one survivor has been confirmed — a British national seated in 11A, now under intensive care.
Recovery operations began swiftly, with officials retrieving the black box from the wreckage. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that its data will be crucial in identifying the root cause of the catastrophe.
Alarming reports have surfaced that an astrologer had posted a plane crash prediction a week prior, sparking heated debates online. However, aviation authorities remain focused on concrete evidence from the black box and ATC records.
The co-pilot of the flight was First Officer Clive Sundar. Both he and Captain Sabharwal were described as seasoned professionals.
As investigations continue, India mourns a devastating loss and awaits answers about what led to one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
