Air India pilot’s reported tragic final words in distressed mayday call before crash that killed 265
ArchiveFirst published June 14, 2025. It may not reflect later developments.
Air India Flight AI171 crashed just minutes after leaving Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, killing nearly everyone on board. The London-bound jet climbed to only 625 feet before falling from the sky and hitting a medical college hostel four miles from the runway.
There were 242 people on the flight: 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese passengers. Only one man, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh from the UK, survived. Police confirmed at least 265 bodies have been found, including victims on the ground.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal sent a desperate call moments before impact: “Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.” He and First Officer Clive Kunder tried to save the plane but had no chance to recover control.
Air India’s chairman called the disaster a “tragic accident” and promised support for victims’ families. Emergency teams remain at the site, and investigators are working to uncover exactly what went wrong as the nation mourns a shocking loss of life.
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