Mumbai Bids Tearful Farewell to Air India Pilot Clive Kunder After Ahmedabad Crash

Mumbai mourned Air India pilot Clive Kunder, who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash that killed 270 people. His body was brought home for last respects before burial. The young co-pilot was remembered as a dedicated professional. Investigations continue as families struggle with the aftermath of the devastating tragedy.

Mumbai witnessed an emotional farewell on Thursday as the mortal remains of Clive Kunder, the co-pilot of the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, were brought to his home in Goregaon West. Family, friends, and neighbors gathered in grief as Kunder’s body was placed for final respects before the last rites at Sewri Christian Cemetery.

Kunder, a First Officer with 1,100 hours of flying experience, lived with his elderly parents and younger sister. He was among 12 crew members aboard AI-171, the ill-fated London-bound flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The flight, which had 242 passengers on board, met a tragic end when it plunged into a hostel building of BJ Medical College following a distress call.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot with 8,200 flying hours. Despite the crew's last-minute efforts, the crash claimed 270 lives, including 29 people on the ground.

The crash has left a deep scar on Kunder’s community and the wider aviation fraternity. As his mother mourned at their residence, the air was heavy with sorrow, reflecting the grief of a city stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy. Tributes poured in across social media and from colleagues who remembered Kunder as a dedicated professional and a gentle soul.

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While investigations into the cause of the crash continue, families of victims like Clive Kunder now face the daunting task of moving forward, carrying the weight of a loss that came too suddenly and too soon.