For those who are wondering why the pilots didn't send out a mayday is that communication is the last thing on their priority list during an emergency.*
They are trained to Aviate, Navigate, Communicate... in that order.
During an emergency, they focus on flying the damn plane above all else.
Once they have control of the plane, they navigate... looking for the closest airport or spot for an emergency landing.
Once they have identified a location to (safely) land, ONLY then they communicate... mayday, etc.
It seems counter intuitive, but when something goes wrong in a flight, it goes wrong fast. To save the flight, every second counts to a pilot. Better spend that time saving the plane than calling for help and waiting for an air traffic controller to reply.
* I have friends who are pilots, and I once aspired to be one myself.
They are trained to Aviate, Navigate, Communicate... in that order.
During an emergency, they focus on flying the damn plane above all else.
Once they have control of the plane, they navigate... looking for the closest airport or spot for an emergency landing.
Once they have identified a location to (safely) land, ONLY then they communicate... mayday, etc.
It seems counter intuitive, but when something goes wrong in a flight, it goes wrong fast. To save the flight, every second counts to a pilot. Better spend that time saving the plane than calling for help and waiting for an air traffic controller to reply.
* I have friends who are pilots, and I once aspired to be one myself.