The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANB) crash on Thursday has rocked the entire nation. With 242 people on board, the flight was bound from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick airport, but crashed shortly after takeoff. The crew included 10 cabin members and two pilots.
Air India pilot’s last distress call to ATC
Reports suggest that the Air India flight made a MayDay call to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) immediately after take-off. However, there was no response from the pilots once ATC started returning the calls, according to a statement made by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
It is anticipated that the call was made due to technical difficulties which the pilot might have faced shortly after take-off.
What is a MAYDAY call?
A Mayday call in strict aviation terms means a call that is made during a distressing situation. The term ‘MAYDAY’ comes from the French phrase m’aider, which means ‘help me’.
It is communicated over radio to Air Traffic Control room (ATC) or to the nearby aircraft so that they are alerted of the critical emergency onboard.
This signal is typically used during life-threatening situations such as engine failure, extreme weather, major technical problems, or medical emergencies.
When a Mayday is declared, the aircraft is given top priority, and emergency services are quickly mobilised to assist. Air traffic controllers work immediately to guide the aircraft safely and coordinate rescue and relief efforts.