Aviation regulator DGCA has confirmed that the pilot of the ill-fated Air India flight AI-171 issued a Mayday call moments after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after departure, with several casualties feared.

According to the DGCA’s preliminary report, the aircraft departed from Runway 23 at 1:39 pm IST. “Soon after departure, the flight gave a Mayday call to Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control,” the statement read. “Subsequent attempts by ATC to re-establish contact went unanswered.”

The aircraft, identified as VT-ANB, was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience. First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 flight hours, was in the co-pilot’s seat.

DGCA officials confirmed the aircraft lost altitude rapidly before crashing just outside the airport perimeter in the Meghaninagar area around 2 pm. Witnesses described a dramatic descent followed by a massive explosion and thick black smoke billowing from the site.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing. Air India has yet to issue a detailed public statement.

(With inputs from PTI)