Air India Crash: Pilot’s Final Distress Call Revealed

A chilling audio recording has surfaced from Air India Flight AI171’s final moments, shedding light on the tragic crash near Ahmedabad. In a five-second message to Air Traffic Control (ATC), Captain Sumit Sabharwal is heard desperately calling, “MAYDAY… MAYDAY… MAYDAY… NO POWER… NO THRUST… GOING DOWN…” The distress call was made just moments after the plane took off at 1:30 PM on June 12, heading toward London Gatwick. Onboard were 242 people—230 passengers, 10 crew members, and 2 pilots.

Tragically, the aircraft lost altitude shortly after takeoff and plummeted into a medical college hostel building, causing a fiery explosion and widespread devastation. The incident claimed nearly all lives on board and several on the ground, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Only one survivor, a British national of Indian origin, was found alive amid the wreckage.

Rescue efforts were immediate, with thick smoke complicating the operation. Investigators recovered one black box from the site and continue searching for the second and the cockpit DVR, which could offer key insights into the cause of the failure. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has constituted a high-level multi-agency panel to probe the incident, focusing on procedural lapses, aircraft systems, and aviation safety norms. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in coordination with other central agencies, is leading the inquiry.