The final distress messages sent by the Air India pilot to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Ahmedabad airport were chilling, "Thrust not achieved," "falling," "communication line during this transmission very weak," and finally, "Mayday." These were the last words transmitted by the pilot before the London-bound flight crashed into a medical hostel minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, sources confirmed.
The pilot's urgent messages indicated that something had gone terribly wrong with the aircraft shortly after Flight AI171 took off at 1:37 pm on Thursday. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was en route to Gatwick Airport in London, carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers, 2 pilots, and 10 crew members. Tragically, 241 people lost their lives in the crash, with only one survivor, a British national of Indian origin, who is currently hospitalised.
This crash, involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, is the first fatal accident involving the aircraft model since its commercial introduction in 2011. The tragedy has claimed a total of 270 lives, sparking national and international concern.
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In the aftermath of the crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was quickly mobilised to investigate the incident. The AAIB successfully recovered the black box from the wreckage 28 hours after the crash, a crucial piece of evidence that will aid in understanding the cause of the disaster. Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, confirmed the recovery of the orange-colored device, which was located near the tail of the aircraft.
The black box will be instrumental in decoding the events leading up to the crash. The data retrieved from the device will be analysed as part of the ongoing investigation. In the meantime, the Civil Aviation Ministry has announced that all Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft in Air India's fleet will undergo mandatory enhanced safety inspections starting Sunday. These checks, ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will cover critical systems including fuel, engine, and hydraulics. A full report of these checks will be submitted for review.
Minister Naidu, in his first briefing after the tragic incident, assured the public that the decoding of the black box data was underway. He stated that multiple agencies and high-level panels were conducting a thorough investigation into the crash to determine its cause and to prevent future occurrences.
Also Read: Air India crash death toll rises to 270 after hostel fatalities
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