Chandra: AI crash my career's most heartbreaking

ADDRESSING THE EMPLOYEES of Air India following the tragic crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad last week, Tata Sons and Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran made an emotional appeal for resilience, urging the airline's staff to "stay the course" and commit to building a safer and stronger airline.

- NITIN KUMAR

Speaking to nearly 700 employees and leadership team members at the Air India headquarters and training academy in Gurugram on Monday, Chandrasekaran acknowledged the deep pain caused by the June 12 crash that claimed over 270 lives. "I have seen a reasonable number of crises in my career, but this is the most heartbreaking one which I never thought I would see," he said, recalling his visit to the crash site and the difficult moments shared with the emergency response team.

The Air India Dreamliner took off at 1:39 pm on Thursday and within a few seconds, after reaching a height of about 650 feet, it started sinking. At 1:39 pm, the pilot gave Ahmedabad ATC a May Day call, a code word used for emergency.