One Was to Quit, Another Just Began: Two Pilots Lost in Air India Crash

In a tragic twist of fate, the two pilots aboard the ill-fated Air India Flight AI171 represented two ends of an aviation journey — one nearing retirement, the other just taking off. Both Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder were killed when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, claiming 265 lives.

Captain Sabharwal, a seasoned pilot with over 8,200 flight hours, had recently told his family he intended to quit flying to care for his ailing father. Known for his professionalism and composed nature, Sabharwal came from a family deeply rooted in aviation.

First Officer Clive Kunder, with 1,100 hours of flight experience, was just beginning his career. Raised in Mumbai’s Air India colony, Clive was inspired by his mother, a former flight crew member, and trained at the Bombay Flying Club. His sister, Kliene, shared the family’s heartbreak, confirming their travel to Ahmedabad for answers.

Actor Vikrant Massey also mourned the loss of Clive Kunder, a family friend, calling the tragedy “unimaginably painful.”

The flight was bound for London’s Gatwick Airport when it stalled at 625 feet and crashed into a residential building. Despite issuing a MAYDAY call, Air Traffic Control lost all contact with the cockpit seconds before the crash.

This tragedy marks a devastating loss for both the families and the aviation community, mourning the end of one legacy and the loss of a future that had just begun.