Ahmedabad: A London-bound Air India flight (AI171) with 242 people onboard reportedly crashed into the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess in Meghani Nagar. The flight took off at 1:38 pm and within two minutes it burst into flames. Moments before the crash, the pilot of the flight AI 171 gave a Mayday call. The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that a team has been rushed to the spot for investigation. "On 12th Jun, 2025, Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, has crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft, consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew," said a senior DGCA official.
As per the DGCA official, Capt Sabharwal is an LTC with 8200 hours of experience, while the copilot had 1100 hours of flying experience, the official further added.
Notably, the aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the spot.
As per Ai India, the flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. All the people onboard are feared dead. However, there is no official confirmation about the death toll.
What Is Mayday Call?
In aviation technology, a Mayday call is a distress call. It is recognised globally. A Mayday call is five in a case of extreme life-threatening emergency. It is derived from the French word "m'aider". This French word means "help me".
The call is transmitted via radio communication to the air traffic controller (ATC). It can also be given to other nearby aircraft if any. The ATC prioritises the call.
A Mayday call is given in case of engine failure, medical emergency or extreme weather conditions.
