Last Words of Pilot in Crashed Air India Plane Made Public As 241 People Perish

• The pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, sent out a mayday call outlining technical challenges in his last dispatch
• Sabharwal indicated that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was not gaining thrust in his last communication
• A London-bound passenger plane crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025

The pilot of the ill-fated Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad sent out a few words before the tragic crash.

The pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, sent out a mayday call outlining technical challenges.

In his last words, The Sun reported that Sabharwal made it clear that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was not gaining thrust ahead of the June 12 crash.

This meant the aircraft was unable to generate sufficient thrust to gain altitude and ascend properly after takeoff.

Just 11 seconds after takeoff, Sabharwal warned that the plane was losing power.

Mayday [...] no thrust, losing power, unable to lift."

Air India: How experienced was Captain Sabharwal?

Sabharwal had 8,200 hours of flying experience, and was assisted by Clive Kunder, who hails from Mumbai.

The aircraft hadn't travelled anywhere too far from the airport after takeoff as it crashed at an altitude of 625ft, according to Flightradar24.

The reason for the crash and why the aircraft could not gain enough power is yet to be made public.

The Air India plane had 242 people on board.

Ahmedabad, the main city of India's Gujarat state, is home to around eight million people and the busy airport is surrounded by densely packed residential areas.

Crashed plane bound for London-Gatwick Airport

The aircraft was on its way to the UK, where it was expected to land at London Gatwick Airport, but never made it.

Air India's flight 171 issued a mayday call and crashed "immediately after takeoff", around 1:40 pm (0810 GMT), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.

Several videos posted on social media showed an aircraft rapidly losing altitude before it hit a building and exploded into a ball of fire.

Air India said the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian.

The airline's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said an emergency centre had been set up with a support team for families seeking information.

India has suffered a series of fatal air crashes, including a 1996 disaster when two jets collided mid-air over New Delhi, killing nearly 350 people.

In 2010, an Air India Express jet crashed and burst into flames at Mangalore airport in southwest India, killing 158 of the 166 passengers and crew on board.

India's airline industry has boomed in recent years, with Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), last month calling it "nothing short of phenomenal".

Air India plane crash: Family's last selfie trends

Just before takeoff, a passenger decided to capture the moment of their journey with a photo of his beloved family. He captured a smiling selfie with his wife and children across the aisle from him.

Unable to come to terms with the unexpected loss, the grieving friends and family shared the picture on social media. The photo has been making waves ever since. The bright smiles on the faces of the Joshi family are now etched into the hearts of many well-wishers.

The crash, which occurred in Ahmedabad, is one of the deadliest aviation accidents in recent history. The loss of 241 passengers and crew members is a tragedy that has shaken the nation of India and the world.

Air India passenger discloses reason for missed flight

Bhoomi Chauhan, an Indian national, narrowly missed the tragic Air India crash on June 12, 2025, due to heavy traffic.

She arrived at the airport 10 minutes late and, despite pleading with staff, was denied entry as check-in had closed.

Bhoomi, who was headed to reunite with her husband in London, later learnt that the flight she missed had crashed shortly after takeoff.

Expressing gratitude for her survival, she described the incident as a "rebirth" while mourning the loss of so many innocent lives.

UK citizen survives Air India crash

YEN.com.gh reported that a British national, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was the sole survivor of the catastrophic Air India plane crash.

Reports indicated Ramesh's condition is being closely monitored.

A medical team was also working to stabilise Ramesh following the devastating crash.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh