The tragedy of the Air India crash still leaves various questions unanswered, but what the pilot reportedly said before the disaster has been revealed.
An Air India flight cr.as.hed just minutes after taking off from India’s Ahmedabad Airport on June 12.
The AI 171 flight was on its way to London Gatwick and was expected to touch down in the UK at 6:25 pm local time.
Yet, the flight would only reach about 625 feet in the air before plummeting to the ground four miles away from the airport runway.
As per the airline, there were 242 passengers and crew members on board. Air India added: “Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals.”
There was reportedly only one survivor from the plane crash, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai shared that 265 bodies have so far been recovered – including people who died on the ground – but this number may increase as rescue efforts continue.
The exact cause of the crash is currently being in investigation, and more details are expected to come out over the coming days.
The two pilots flying the plane have been identified as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder.
According to India’s aviation regulator, the aircraft gave a mayday call to air traffic control. However, there was no response from the plane after that.
The captain reportedly called out on his radio: “Mayday […] no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.”
It’s believed that the pair of pilots then attempted to get control of the plane as it sank through the air before crashing into a medical college hostel.
The Chairman of Air India, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, has also released a lengthy statement and offered his condolences, while saying the incident was a ‘tragic acc.ident’.
He said: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight, AI171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.
“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.
“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families.”
