Air India crash: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal laid to rest in Mumbai, father bids tearful farewell

Speaking to mourners earlier in the day, Sabharwal’s father recalled that his son had promised to retire soon and take care of him full time.

With folded hands and tear-filled eyes, Pushkaraj Sabharwal stood outside his residence in Mumbai’s Powai on Tuesday morning to pay an emotional tribute to his son, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of the ill-fated Air India flight AI-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12.

#WATCH | #AirIndiaPlaneCrash | Maharashtra: Father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, Pushkaraj pays emotional tribute to his son outside their residence in Powai, Mumbai.Captain Sabharwal was flying the ill-fated London-bound Air India flight that crashed soon after take off in pic.twitter.com/NStRiMM6BY
ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2025

The 56-year-old pilot was among the 270 people killed when the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical complex shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

The crash claimed the lives of nearly all on board and 29 people on the ground, leaving only one survivor.

Captain Sabharwal’s mortal remains were flown to Mumbai early Tuesday morning and received by grieving family members at the airport before being taken to his home in Jal Vayu Vihar, Powai.

A large crowd of family, friends, colleagues, and local residents had gathered to pay their last respects.

Among those who visited the Sabharwal residence to offer condolences were prominent businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and local MLA Dilip Lande.

According to officials, the casket carrying Captain Sabharwal’s remains was later taken in a hearse to the Chakala electric crematorium for the final rites.

Captain Sabharwal, a seasoned pilot with 8,200 hours of flying experience, was in command of the Air India Dreamliner at the time of the crash. First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours, was also on board.

As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft departed at 1:39 pm and issued a "Mayday" distress call shortly after takeoff, reaching only around 650 feet before plummeting. The control tower received no further communication from the aircraft.

Speaking to mourners earlier in the day, Sabharwal’s father recalled that his son had promised to retire soon and take care of him full time. “I never imagined I would have to see him go like this,” he said, his voice breaking.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the tragedy, with multiple agencies, including India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), involved in the probe.