Captain Sumeet Sabharwal Laid to Rest in Mumbai After Tragic Ahmedabad Air Crash
Mumbai, 18th June 2025: With hands folded in grief and eyes brimming with tears, Pushkaraj Sabharwal stood solemnly outside his residence in Powai on Tuesday to bid a heart-wrenching farewell to his son, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of Air India flight AI-171, which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12.
The devastating crash claimed the lives of 270 people, including nearly all passengers and crew aboard the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The aircraft plunged into a medical facility shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 29 individuals on the ground and leaving only one survivor from the flight.
Captain Sabharwal’s body was flown to Mumbai in the early hours of Tuesday. Family members, overcome with grief, received his remains at the airport before taking them to their home in Jal Vayu Vihar, Powai. A large gathering of relatives, friends, neighbors, and fellow aviators assembled to pay their final respects to the veteran pilot.
Later in the day, the casket was taken to the Chakala electric crematorium for the last rites.
A seasoned aviator with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, Captain Sabharwal was in command of the aircraft at the time of the crash. First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours, was also onboard.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft took off at 1:39 PM and issued a “Mayday” call shortly thereafter. The plane reached an altitude of only around 650 feet before it lost contact with the control tower and crashed moments later.
Speaking during the farewell ceremony, Captain Sabharwal’s father broke down while recalling how his son had recently spoken about retirement plans and his desire to care for his aging parents. “I never thought I’d have to see this day,” he said, overcome by emotion.
Investigations into the crash are ongoing, with teams from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) jointly examining the cause of the tragedy.
