Plane that crashed in India declared ‘Mayday’; What does the expression mean?

There are different levels of alert on the radio. A level below “Mayday” is the so-called “Pan-pan”-by Frenchman Panne, which means crash or failure and is used when there is an urgent situation, but it does not yet constitute an imminent emergency. For example, an engine failure that allows the controlled flight, or a severe health problem on board, but with stable conditions. The “pan-pan” should also be repeated three times and followed by the identification of the aircraft.

The use of Mayday instantly mobilizes the protocols of relief, landing priority and exclusive communication with traffic control. Triple repetition prevents ambiguities in noise or interference radio transmissions. The communication system is standardized worldwide, and there are real audios records where pilots alternate between “pan-pan” and “Mayday” as aggravated the situation during the flight.

In the case of this fall, the warning was issued seconds before the radar aircraft disappeared. This indicates that the crew has managed to start the emergency protocol, which may help investigate the causes of the accident. Air India, the company responsible for the flight, confirmed that the black boxes have already been located and will be analyzed by the authorities.

The flight AI117 took off at 4:12 (local time) from International Airport Sardar Vallabhbhai Patelin Ahmedabad. The destination was Gatwick airport in London, scheduled to arrive around 9:40 am. Among the passengers on board were 53 British, according to Reuters.

The fall occurred in a rural area on the outskirts of the city of Ahmedabadin the west of the country. Rescue teams have been mobilized rapidly, and the causes of the accident are still under investigation.

*With articles published on 01/22/2024 and 08/31/2018.