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Air India Plane Crash: The pilot of the Air India flight issued a Mayday call to Air Traffic Control moments before the crash near Ahmedabad. The plane had 242 passengers onboard.
Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad airport (Photo: News18)
Air India Plane Crash Ahmedabad: Moments before the London-bound Air India flight crashed near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, the pilot of the flight gave a Mayday call to the Air Traffic Control, it was known.
It was also learnt that the flight captain, thereafter, did not respond to the calls made by the ATC, according to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Initial flight data showed that the aircraft reached a maximum barometric altitude of 625 feet (airport altitude is about 200 feet) before it started to descend with a vertical speed of -475 feet per minute.
Minister of State Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohal said, “Maybe the pilot was giving a message that it is an emergency and help is required and afterwards maybe they said that whatever they have is getting finished… A message like this was sent, but we should keep patience and wait….”
The flight crashed soon after it took off for London, and was carrying 242 passengers at the time of the accident.
In an official statement, Air India confirmed the plane crash and said it was following up for more details.
“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest,” it said.
In a separate statement, Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran said, “With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India flight AI 171 operating from Ahmedabad to 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,” he said.
“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,” the Air India chairman said.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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