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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Ahmedabad plane crash: A 'Mayday' call, and then radio silence
Ahmedabad plane crash AHMEDABAD: Pilot of Air India flight 171 issued a 'Mayday' call before all communication with the air traffic controller was lost moments before the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed, according to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A 'Mayday' call is an internationally recognised radio distress signal used in life-threatening emergencies such as engine failure, onboard fire or loss of control. It is most commonly used in aviation and maritime communication. It's usually spoken three times to ensure clarity and urgency in transmission. When a 'Mayday' signal is issued, all other communication is halted and ATC gives top priority to the distress call. The pilot reports the aircraft's identity, position, nature of the emergency, and number of people on board. According to DGCA, the London-bound flight took off from runway 23 at 1.39 pm, carrying 242 people on board, including two pilots, 10 cabin crew members, and 230 passengers. DGCA noted that while a 'Mayday' call was made, there was no response from the aircraft to subsequent communications from Ahmedabad ATC. The aircraft could be seen losing altitude quickly, and crashed outside the airport perimeter soon after take-off. The distress call was introduced in early 1920s by Frederick Stanley Mockford, a senior radio officer at Croydon airport in England. He was tasked with finding a spoken distress signal that pilots and ground staff could easily recognise during emergencies. 'Mayday' was formally adopted as the international radio distress call in 1927.
India Today
2 days ago
- General
- India Today
What is a Mayday call? Modern emergency call in aviation explained
An Air India Boeing 7878 (Flight AI171), carrying 242 people, crashed five minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International issued a Mayday call shortly before going silent -- and then plummeted into a building near Meghani Nagar, erupting in black smoke and OF THE 'MAYDAY' DISTRESS SIGNALThe word 'Mayday' was coined in the early 1920s by Frederick Stanley Mockford, a radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. He chose it as a phonetic equivalent of the French phrase m'aider ('help me'), making it easily understood in cross-channel became part of international radio communication for pilots and mariners by 1923, and was formally adopted in 1927 alongside the Morse 'SOS'.HOW A MAYDAY CALL WORKSWhen a pilot says 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday', they're declaring a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate help. All non-essential radio traffic must stand down, and air traffic control (ATC) prioritises that then provide key details -- call sign, location, nature of emergency, number of people aboard, and requests -- so rescue teams can act USE AND MODERN APPLICATIONFirst flight use (1923): Croydon-Le Bourget flights began using 'Mayday.'Aviation standard (1927): The International Radiotelegraph Convention formalised emergency frequencies (121.5MHz and 243MHz) are constantly monitored by ATC for any Mayday IT MATTERS IN THIS CRASHadvertisementIn the case of Air India AI171, the Mayday call confirmed the crew faced a sudden, critical event shortly after take-off, even while ATC still maintained issued, this signal instantly triggers emergency protocols, dispatching fire, medical, and security services to the scene. Hotline number 1800 5691 444 can be dialled to get updates on passengers directly from Air Watch
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Air India pilot gave Mayday Call to ATC seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad: What is Mayday call and what makes it important
Flight operations at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have been temporarily halted. (PTI photo) An Air India pilot issued a critical Mayday call to Air Traffic Control (ATC) just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, before the Boeing 787 aircraft carrying 242 people crashed in a residential area. The emergency signal, transmitted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal commanding Flight AI-171 bound for London Gatwick, marked the final communication before the aircraft went silent and plummeted to the ground at 1:39 PM IST. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that after the Mayday call was made, no further response was received from the aircraft despite repeated attempts by ATC to establish contact. The plane crashed outside the airport perimeter in Meghaninagar area, sending up massive plumes of black smoke and triggering immediate emergency response operations. Ahmedabad plane crash: What is a Mayday call A Mayday call represents the most urgent distress signal in aviation and maritime communications, reserved exclusively for life-threatening emergencies where immediate assistance is required. The internationally recognized emergency procedure word must be repeated three times consecutively – "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" – during the initial declaration to ensure clarity and priority handling. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Amberg: GEERS sucht 700 Testhörer für Hörgeräte ohne Zuzahlung GEERS Undo The term originated in the early 1920s when Frederick Stanley Mockford, a radio officer at London's Croydon Airport, developed it as a phonetic version of the French phrase "m'aider," meaning "help me." By 1927, the International Radiotelegraph Convention officially adopted "Mayday" alongside the Morse code "SOS" signal as the standard voice distress call for aircraft and vessels worldwide. Ahmedabad plane crash: What is a Mayday call Aviation professionals use Mayday calls in scenarios involving engine failures, severe weather encounters, structural malfunctions, fire emergencies, or critical medical situations aboard aircraft. The distress signal indicates that the aircraft faces "grave and imminent danger requiring immediate assistance," distinguishing it from less urgent "Pan-pan" calls used for mechanical problems or medical issues that don't immediately threaten lives. Upon declaring Mayday, pilots typically provide essential information including aircraft identification, current position, nature of emergency, number of people aboard, fuel remaining, and specific assistance required. This standardized format enables air traffic controllers and rescue services to coordinate swift emergency response. Ahmedabad plane crash: Critical emergency response protocol When ATC receives a Mayday call, all non-urgent radio communications must immediately cease, giving absolute priority to the distressed aircraft. Air traffic controllers coordinate with emergency services, nearby airports, and other aircraft to provide maximum assistance and clear airspace for emergency procedures. The Federal Aviation Administration encourages pilots to include weather conditions, pilot intentions, present position and heading, altitude, and any other relevant information that could aid rescue operations. Making false Mayday calls constitutes a criminal offense in most countries, punishable by fines and imprisonment. In the Ahmedabad crash case, the prompt Mayday transmission demonstrated the flight crew's adherence to emergency procedures even in the aircraft's final moments, providing crucial information for investigators and emergency responders despite the tragic outcome.
