Air India 'black box found' as pilot's desperate mayday call revealed after tragic crash

WATCH: British survivor ‘seen WALKING AWAY’ from horror crash in miracle moment as Mark White left staggered by footage

GB News
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 13/06/2025

- 11:02

Updated: 13/06/2025

- 12:19

Air India confirmed that 53 British people were onboard the fatal flight

A black box is understood to have been recovered from a crash site in Ahmedabad, India after a London bound Air India flight crashed and killed more than 260 people.

Police sources say investigators will now begin analysing the data stored in the device, which often contains crucial details that can help determine the cause of an aircraft crash.


The aircraft's captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, transmitted a desperate mayday call in the final moments before impact.

According to reports, the pilot warned that his aircraft was experiencing catastrophic mechanical failure. The distress signal came as the jet began its fatal descent.

A black box is understood to have been recovered from a crash site in Ahmedabad, India after a London bound Air India flight crashed and killed more than 260 peopleGetty/ Reuters

Air India confirmed there were 169 Indian, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese passengers on board at the time of the crash.

According to two police sources, one of two black boxes from the 787 had been found.

However, they did not confirm whether it was the flight data recorder or the cockpit voice recorder that had been recovered.

The tragedy represents one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent history.

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Captain Sabharwal's final transmission revealed the aircraft was experiencing complete engine failure.

"Mayday...no thrust, losing power, unable to lift," the pilot called out moments before the crash, according to reports.

The loss of thrust and power would have left the pilots with extremely limited options to avert disaster.

Just one passenger survived and it is believed that as many as 24 people on the ground were also killed as the plane crashed onto a medical college hostel during the lunch hour.

Air India confirmed there were 169 Indian, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese passengers on board at the time of the crash

Getty

The British survivor has been named locally as 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian who was returning to the UK after a visit.

He has been pictured walking away from the plane crash in new footage from local media.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it.

"I have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected."

Police sources say investigators will now begin analysing the data stored in the device, which often contains crucial details that can help determine the cause of an aircraft crash

Reuters

Another Air India flight from Thailand to India was forced to make an emergency landing after receiving a bomb threat just one day after the London-bound flight crashed.

Passengers on flight AI 379 from Phuket to New Delhi were escorted off the plane, Airports of Thailand official said.

There were 156 passengers on the flight as the bomb threat was received on board the plane.