Air India pilot's final words before crash: 'Mayday… no thrust, losing power'

"Mayday… no thrust, losing power..., unable to lift!" These were the final, harrowing words of Captain Sumit Sabharwal, as transmitted to the Air Traffic Control (ATC), moments before Air India flight AI-171 crashed just 36 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.

The Aviation Ministry confirmed in its first official briefing that the London-bound flight issued a distress call at 1.39 pm, shortly after becoming airborne. Within seconds of reaching 650 feet, the aircraft began to lose altitude. Despite the ATC's efforts to re-establish contact, all communication ceased.

“The ATC tried to re-establish contact but received no response,” said Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha. “The aircraft had taken off at 1.39 pm. The final communication from the cockpit — a 'Mayday' call — was received at the same time.”

Captain Sabharwal was in command of the flight, with First Officer Clive Sundar as co-pilot. The tragic crash has prompted a comprehensive investigation by aviation authorities.

Crucial to the probe is the aircraft’s black box, recovered on Saturday evening by the investigative team. Though popularly called "black boxes," flight recorders are actually painted bright orange for visibility during recovery operations. These consist of two components: the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which logs flight parameters, and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which captures cockpit audio.

The CVR, often more accurately referred to as a "cockpit audio recorder," is expected to offer invaluable insight. It not only records conversations between pilots but also logs ambient cockpit sounds, including alarms, engine noises and switch activations, providing a fuller picture of the aircraft's final moments.

As analysis of the data continues, investigators hope to piece together a definitive timeline of what caused the aircraft to lose power and crash so abruptly after take-off.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the Prime Minister’s Office arrived in Ahmedabad to supervise the ongoing response efforts.

Led by PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the team is scheduled to remain in Gujarat for two days. Their agenda includes direct oversight of the rescue operations, relief coordination and the investigation process.

Key meetings have been arranged with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Director General of Police and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to coordinate efforts and share findings.

After visiting the crash site, Mishra shared a brief message, “We came here to witness the situation firsthand. It’s profoundly heartbreaking. There’s little that needs to be said — the pain is clear to all. But we listened, and we offered our support and solidarity.”