Cockpit Audio Reveals Final Moments of AI-171 Before Fatal Crash in Ahmedabad

 Ahmedabad, June 14: Days after one of India's most catastrophic aviation tragedies, a chilling cockpit audio clip has surfaced, shedding light on the harrowing final moments aboard Air India Flight AI-171. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, claiming at least 274 lives, including passengers, crew members, and civilians on the ground.

The brief yet haunting message, recorded moments before the aircraft plunged into the residential quarters of a medical college in Meghaninagar, was transmitted by Captain Sumit Sabharwal to Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC). The five-second distress call captured the unfolding emergency, with the captain urgently stating:

“MAYDAY… MAYDAY… MAYDAY… NO POWER… NO THRUST… GOING DOWN…”

Addressing the media on Saturday, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha provided a timeline of the events. According to official records, the Ministry of Civil Aviation was alerted to the crash at approximately 2:00 PM on June 12, via ATC Ahmedabad. The aircraft, operating as AIC 171, had departed for London Gatwick at 1:39 PM with 242 individuals on board — including 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew members, and two pilots.

Shortly after takeoff, upon reaching an altitude of approximately 650 feet, the aircraft experienced a critical loss of power. Captain Sabharwal immediately issued a Mayday call. However, subsequent attempts by ATC to reestablish contact were unsuccessful. Within a minute, the aircraft crashed into a densely populated area in Meghaninagar, just two kilometers from the runway.

The first officer on board was identified as Clive Sundar. Authorities confirmed that the same aircraft had earlier completed a Paris–Delhi–Ahmedabad leg without incident.

Flight operations at Ahmedabad airport were suspended at 2:30 PM following the crash and partially resumed by 5:00 PM, once emergency protocols had been executed, Sinha added.

Tragically, only one person — a British national of Indian origin — survived the crash. Among the deceased was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

The impact site, a residential hostel facility housing students and staff, was engulfed in flames and heavy smoke. Local residents and medical students were among the casualties, prompting a large-scale rescue and relief effort by emergency personnel.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu described the past two days as "immensely difficult," stating the tragedy had "shaken the entire nation." Speaking from the crash site, the minister confirmed that all key response teams had been mobilised swiftly and that recovery operations — including fire containment, debris clearance, and victim identification — were being conducted with full coordination between central and state agencies.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), tasked with leading the technical investigation, has retrieved the flight data recorder (black box), which was recovered around 5:00 PM on Friday. Authorities believe the data will provide critical insights into the cause of the malfunction.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also constituted a high-level, multi-disciplinary inquiry panel to probe the incident. The committee will examine the technical and operational factors behind the crash and assess the adequacy of existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety frameworks.

Investigative teams from national agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have also visited the site as part of a wider inquiry.

As the nation mourns the loss of lives in this devastating incident, aviation authorities remain focused on uncovering the truth and ensuring that such a tragedy never occurs again.