Air India Flight Issued ‘Mayday’ Call Shortly After Takeoff, No Response to ATC: DGCA
Ahmedabad, India: New details have emerged regarding the tragic Air India flight crash that occurred on Thursday in Ahmedabad. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft issued a ‘Mayday’ call to Air Traffic Control (ATC) shortly after takeoff, but no further communication was received from the aircraft thereafter.
As per DGCA, Air India flight AI-171 (aircraft number VT-ANB) took off from Runway 23 at Ahmedabad Airport at 1:39 PM IST (08:09 UTC), bound for London Gatwick Airport. Just moments after takeoff, the aircraft sent out a ‘Mayday’ emergency call, indicating a serious technical failure. However, all subsequent attempts by ATC to contact the plane went unanswered.
DGCA’s initial report states that the aircraft rapidly lost altitude after takeoff and crashed outside the airport perimeter in the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad. Thick plumes of black smoke were seen rising from the crash site, causing panic in the surrounding areas.
Captain Had Over 8,200 Hours of Flight Experience
There were 242 people on board, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members. The aircraft was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain (LTC) with over 8,200 hours of flying experience. He was accompanied by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of experience.
Grave Concern Over Passenger Safety
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed around 2:00 PM, just minutes into its flight to London. Authorities have expressed serious concern about the fate of all 242 passengers and crew members. Rescue and relief operations are currently underway at a war footing.
Teams from government agencies, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Air India officials are present at the site. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministry of Home Affairs, and DGCA are monitoring the situation closely. A technical and safety investigation into the crash has been initiated, and efforts to locate the aircraft’s black box are in progress.
This incident has raised critical concerns over aviation safety in India, and the government has assured the public that a transparent and thorough investigation will be conducted, with accountability established wherever necessary.