Air India Flight Issued 'MAYDAY' Call Before Crashing In Ahmedabad: What The Distress Signal Means?

The Air India aircraft took off from Runway 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM IST (0809 UTC) and moments after departure, the crew issued a “Mayday” distress call to ATC.

The DGCA confirmed the crash in Meghaninagar with eyewitnesses reporting a rapid descent and smoke.

Source : X

A London-bound Air India flight carrying 242 people, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, 12 June 2025. Among the passengers was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was reportedly en route to London. According to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft took off from Runway 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM IST (0809 UTC).

Moments after departure, the crew issued a “Mayday” distress call to Air Traffic Control (ATC). However, the aircraft ceased all communication shortly thereafter and failed to respond to repeated calls from ATC.

The DGCA confirmed that the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter, in the Meghaninagar area near the airport. 

Flight Crew Experience Details Released

The DGCA identified the flight’s commander as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who held the designation of Line Training Captain (LTC) with over 8,200 hours of flying experience. The co-pilot, First Officer Clive Kundar, had clocked approximately 1,100 flying hours.

Both were operating the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft registered as VT-ANB, one of the long-haul jets in Air India’s international fleet.

Ahmedabad Flight Crash: What Is ‘Mayday’ Call?

The term “Mayday” is an internationally recognised emergency distress signal used primarily in aviation and maritime contexts. It is the equivalent of calling emergency services and signifies that the aircraft is facing a life-threatening situation.

A “Mayday” call is typically repeated three times — “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” — to ensure it is heard clearly and not mistaken for routine communication. It is only used in extreme emergencies, such as: Engine failure, on-board fire, imminent crash landing and any situation posing immediate risk to the aircraft and passengers

The word “Mayday” is derived from the French phrase “m’aidez”, which means “help me”.