In a heartbreaking turn of events, the last communication from the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft in the Ahmedabad plane crash has been revealed. Pilot Sumit Sabharwal sent an urgent message to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) just seconds before the tragedy struck. He reportedly said, ‘Mayday, Mayday, Mayday… Thrust not coming, power is reducing, the plane is not taking off, we will not survive.’ This desperate call highlights the gravity of the situation as the aircraft was about to take off from London to Ahmedabad.
The crash occurred in a busy area, with over 60 doctors, students, and several others present in the BJ Medical College hostel building at the time. The flight was scheduled to land in Ahmedabad around 4 PM, and family members of the deceased are now arriving to identify their loved ones. DNA samples are still being collected for identification.
So far, post-mortem examinations have been conducted on more than 270 bodies at the civil hospital. Additionally, DNA samples have been taken from 241 individuals, with seven bodies already identified.
Experts believe that a technical failure was the main cause of the accident. They noted from the aircraft’s video footage that there was no impact during take-off, which indicates the plane could not gain altitude due to other issues.
In response to the disaster, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued strict guidelines for Air India to conduct additional checks and maintenance on its Boeing aircraft. This is a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety in future flights.
The black box of the aircraft, along with the cockpit voice recorder, has been recovered from the wreckage. An official involved with the airport authority confirmed that a Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) was also found. This evidence will be crucial in determining the exact cause of the crash.
Following the tragic incident, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated an investigation, adhering to protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The central government is forming a high-level committee to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and to develop strategies to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Family members of the victims have been gathering at the Ahmedabad civil hospital, where the process of identifying the deceased using DNA samples has begun. Bodies are being released to relatives based on these identifications, providing some closure to grieving families.
This tragic crash serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety measures in aviation. As investigations continue, the hope remains that lessons learned from this event will lead to improved safety standards and ultimately save lives in future flights.
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