Air India crash: What was the ‘MAYDAY’ call given by the plane before crashing in Ahmedabad?
Ahmedabad: A tragic air crash occurred near Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on Thursday, when an Air India flight bound for London crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar. The plane, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, had taken off from Ahmedabad International Airport at 1:38 PM with 242 people on board.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilots made a distress call, known as a “MAYDAY” call, to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) shortly after takeoff. This was the last communication from the aircraft. After the emergency message, the plane went silent and crashed moments later just outside the airport.
The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a seasoned pilot with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of experience.
What is a MAYDAY Call?
In aviation, “MAYDAY” is the most urgent distress signal that a flight crew can send to air traffic controllers. The term comes from the French phrase "m’aider", meaning "help me." It is repeated three times, “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,” to avoid confusion with other radio messages.
Pilots issue a MAYDAY call when the aircraft faces a serious emergency such as an engine failure, severe weather, technical malfunction, or a medical crisis. The call alerts ATC and nearby aircraft that immediate help is needed. Once received, all other communications are paused, and the focus shifts to supporting the distressed flight.
In this case, the Air India aircraft gave the MAYDAY signal just after takeoff, but before the pilots could explain the situation or respond to further communication, the aircraft crashed.
169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian were onboard the Air India flight. Emergency services rushed to the scene, and rescue operations are ongoing.
A full investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
