‘Mayday’ call, no response, then crash: Moments from takeoff to Ahmedabad plane tragedy
The Air India plane that crashed in a locality in Gujarat's Ahmedabad had sent a ‘Mayday’ call, recognised globally as a life-threatening emergency alert.
The Air India plane bound for London from Ahmedabad on Thursday had given a ‘Mayday’ distress call before crashing moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
A "Mayday" call is recognised globally as a life-threatening emergency alert made via radio communication. Follow Ahmedabad plane crash live updates
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that a "Mayday" distress call was issued by the flight shortly after it took off and minutes before it crashed into a locality – Meghaninagar.
According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39 pm (0809 GMT) from runway 23. It gave a "Mayday" call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft.
Flightradar24, which tracks air traffic in real time, also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off.
Ahmedabad plane crash
The Boeing 787 aircraft, en route to London Gatwick, took off from runway 23 at 1:39 pm with 242 individuals on board, including two pilots, 10 cabin crew members, and 230 passengers.
Also Read: Ahmedabad Airport shut till further notice after Air India plane crash
As per the DGCA statement, the ill-fated Air India aircraft failed to receive a response from Air Traffic Control following the distress signal.
While there was no official confirmation by 4:30 pm on the number of casualties, a video captured the horrifying moment the aircraft crashed into a residential area. Eyewitness visuals showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky near the airport.
Later, a video surfaced, showing a part of the crashed Air India aircraft atop a building.
The DGCA identified the pilots as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 hours of experience.
Emergency response teams acted swiftly, with at least two dozen ambulances dispatched to the scene. Local police have cordoned off the area and diverted traffic to facilitate rescue efforts.
Also Read: 169 Indians, 53 Britishers on board Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, airline confirms
Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu stated he is "personally monitoring the situation" and has instructed aviation and emergency response agencies to carry out "swift and coordinated action."
In a statement, Air India disclosed the nationalities of those on board: 169 Indian citizens, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.
"The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident," the airl
