Who Were the Pilots of the Air India Ahmedabad Plane Crash?

The Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad on Thursday was being flown by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, both of whom were killed in the tragedy. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was heading to London’s Gatwick Airport when it went down in a residential area of Meghani Nagar, minutes after departing from Runway 23 at 1:38 p.m. (local time).

Out of the 242 people on board, 241 were confirmed dead by Air India. One passenger reportedly survived and is being treated in critical condition.

 

 

 

 

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What Went Wrong: Mayday Moments Before the Crash

Just moments after takeoff, the cockpit crew issued a “mayday” distress call. Captain Sabharwal was heard telling air traffic control that the aircraft had “no thrust” and was “unable to lift”, dropping to a dangerously low altitude of 650 feet before crashing.

Captain Sabharwal: Veteran Pilot with Nearly 30 Years of Experience

Captain Sabharwal had a flying career spanning almost three decades, logging 8,200 flying hours. Reports say he contacted his family from the airport before the flight, promising to call again after landing in London—a call that never came.

First Officer Clive Kundar: Young Co-Pilot with a Rising Career

First Officer Kundar had logged 1,100 flying hours and was working alongside Sabharwal during the flight. He was also the cousin of Indian actor Vikrant Massey, who took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute.

“It pains even more to know that my uncle, Clifford Kunder, lost his son, Clive Kunder, who was the first officer on that fateful flight,” Massey wrote.

The combined flight experience of the two pilots totalled over 9,300 hours, according to India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Passengers From Four Countries Were Onboard

Air India confirmed the passengers included:

• 169 Indians

• 53 British nationals

• 7 Portuguese

• 1 Canadian

There were also 10 cabin crew members on board, along with the two pilots.

Investigation Underway

An investigation is now being led by Indian aviation authorities, while Boeing faces renewed scrutiny for the safety of its 787 aircraft. More updates are expected as the inquiry continues.

This article was previously published on UAE Moments. To see the original article, click here