On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, faced a harrowing fate moments after departing Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for London Gatwick. The aircraft, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew, crashed into a residential area, claiming 241 lives onboard and 29 on the ground. As investigations unfold, fresh details highlight the pilots’ frantic Mayday call and a mere 15-second gap before impact, shedding light on why air traffic control (ATC) couldn’t respond in time. This article examines the Mayday distress, the crash sequence, initial probes, and the broader implications for aviation safety.

The Fatal Ascent and Mayday Distress

Flight AI-171 lifted off at 13:38 IST, initially climbing normally. However, after reaching 625 feet, it began a rapid descent at 475 feet per minute. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kunder issued a urgent Mayday: “Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.” This plea for help went unanswered as the plane plummeted, veering into Meghani Nagar’s B.J. Medical College hostel, causing explosions and devastation.

Recent insights reveal a critical factor: only 15 seconds separated the Mayday from the crash. This narrow timeframe left ATC with virtually no opportunity to assist or guide. Bloomberg sources close to the probe noted that the brief window explains the lack of further communication, as the crew grappled with an escalating crisis.

Understanding the Mayday Signal

A Mayday call represents the highest level of emergency in aviation and maritime contexts, signaling imminent life-threatening danger needing instant aid. Derived from the French “m’aider” (help me), it was devised in the 1920s by Croydon Airport’s Frederick Stanley Mockford for its clarity over radio. By 1927, it became the global voice distress standard, paralleling Morse code’s SOS.

In aviation, Mayday prompts immediate ATC priority, mobilizing rescue and alerting nearby aircraft. For Flight 171, Sabharwal’s message underscored thrust and power loss, inability to climb—hallmarks of a dire mechanical failure. Yet, the 15-second span rendered any response futile, highlighting how swiftly disasters can unfold.

Initial Probes and Simulations

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has spearheaded the inquiry, recreating the scenario via flight simulators under identical conditions: landing gear down, wing flaps retracted. These tests showed such configurations alone wouldn’t cause a crash, suggesting multifaceted issues at play.

Early reports from the Wall Street Journal pointed to possible dual engine failure, evidenced by the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment—a backup for power loss. RAT activation implies engine outage or total electrical blackout. While simultaneous engine failures are rare, investigators haven’t dismissed it, probing fuel contamination, bird strikes, or system malfunctions.

The black boxes—CVR and FDR—were recovered by June 16, with data extraction confirming the rapid descent and Mayday. CVR captured the pilots’ final words, while FDR detailed parameters like altitude and speed, aligning with the 15-second timeline.

The Doomed Flight’s Details

Labeled one of aviation’s worst, the crash involved the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, renowned for efficiency but now scrutinized. Viral CCTV footage showed takeoff from Runway 23, brief climb, then abrupt drop over homes, ending in smoke and fire.

Flight tracking via Flightradar24 indicated lost contact seconds into the 4,200-mile, 10-hour trip. Among fatalities was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, described chaos: bodies strewn, escaping via an exit. In a viral video, he alerted bystanders to the crash, later revealing attempts to find his brother amid wreckage.

The ambulance driver recounted Ramesh’s determination to return for his sibling, underscoring the human tragedy. Of 242 aboard, 241 perished, marking a profound loss.

Broader Aviation Safety Concerns

This incident has amplified calls for enhanced safety in India’s booming aviation sector. Post-crash, DGCA mandated inspections of Air India’s 33 Dreamliners, clearing most but probing deeper. Ahmedabad’s airport, with rising bird strikes (38 in 2022–23), faces questions on wildlife management, as ingestion could cripple engines, akin to past events.

High temperatures (40°C) thinned air, demanding extra thrust; improper flaps might exacerbate lift loss. Parallels to 2020 Gatwick Airbus fuel issues highlight contamination risks, though unconfirmed here.

Air India, under Tata since 2022, pledged support, offering $100,000+ per family. Yet, operational woes—like bomb threats and emergencies—draw criticism. International collaboration with NTSB, UK AAIB, Boeing, and GE aids the probe, but ICAO observer exclusion stirs transparency debates.

Implications and Ongoing Mystery

The 15-second window underscores aviation’s razor-thin margins, where seconds dictate survival. If dual engine failure confirmed, it probes maintenance, fuel quality, or design flaws. RAT use suggests electrical woes, possibly cascading failures overwhelming the crew.

Public outrage mounts, with misinformation—AI fakes, viral hoaxes—complicating discourse. Victims’ kin, including UK families, eye lawsuits under Montreal Convention against Air India and Boeing.

As AAIB’s preliminary report nears (due July 11), full answers may take a year. The Mayday’s unanswered echo haunts, a reminder of fragility in flight. Whether glitch, error, or unforeseen force, lessons from 171 aim to avert repeats, honoring the lost.