'You will be missed': Air India gives ‘final salute' to Captain Sabharwal who died in Ahmedabad plane crash
Air India Plane Crash: Air India, on Tuesday bid an emotional farewell to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who lost his life in the deadly plane crash in Ahmedabad, along with 240 others on Thursday, June 12.
Giving a 'final salute' to Captain Sabharwal, and honouring him as an 'exceptional aviator", Air India posted on X: 'RIP Captain. You will be missed.'
The 'exceptional aviator's was laid to rest today, June 17. His funeral was attended by Air India COO, Tata Group's HR Head and Communications Head, Air India shared on X.
Hailed as a 'hero' by locals – Captain Sabharwal — who was in the cockpit of the ill-fated AI-I71 flight, reportedly managed to divert the aircraft at the last second to prevent crashing into any apartment block, saving many lives.
On June 12 – the 'darkest day in Tata Group's history,' plumes of black smoke filled the skies in Ahmedabad's Mehnaninagar after flight AI171 smashed into BJ Medical College Hostel's Mess, killing 241 people on board, and others on ground.
The death toll climbed to 270, including MBBS students, a PG resident doctor, who were having lunch in the mess when the London Gatwick bound plane lost height and turned into a 'fire-ball' – crashing into the hostel. Mumbai, Jun 17 (ANI): Father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, Pushkaraj, pays last respect with teary eyes to his son who piloted the ill-fated Air India plane in Ahmedabad that crashed soon after takeoff, outside their residence at Powai in Mumbai on Tuesday. (ANI Video Grab)
Bodies were charred, requiring forensic teams to carry out DNA tests to identify them and hand over to the kin. Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Rakesh Joshi said that as of today evening, a total of 163 DNA samples have been matched
Only one person – seated at 11A during the time of the crash — Ramesh Vishwas Kumar, miraculously survived.
Even in the face of the deadly crash, the late captain of the Boeing Dreamliner is remembered by locals as a 'hero.' Mumbai, India - June 17, 2025: Relatives and neighbors gather outside the Powai residence as the body of captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who died in the ill-fated Air India flight, arrives home on Tuesday morning in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times)
All 18 families residing in the three-story building beneath the flight path are certain that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal saved their lives. His Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which was heading straight toward their homes, got diverted as skillful handling of the emergency averted the disaster at that place, reported The Sun.
Aged 54-years-old, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the son of an officer from India's civil aviation authority.
The deceased captain was a seasoned pilot with 8,200 hours of flight experience and also the primary caregiver for his father — currently in his 80s — whom he called just prior to the takeoff.
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The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Considered quitting Air India job to look after father—family, friends remember Capt Sumeet Sabharwal
The casket carrying the remains of Sumeet Sabharwal, who was 55, was brought in from Ahmedabad to his apartment in Jal Vayu Vihar by his nephews earlier Tuesday morning. His 88-year-old father, Pushkaraj, leaning heavily on his walking stick, along with the rest of the captain's family—his sister, her husband, her two sons, and a daughter-in-law—paid their respects. Amid police security, friends and family members broke down into tears after seeing the remains of the captain, whose body was placed in the society's complex area before being taken for the final rites. Mumbai: Jal Vayu Vihar Sector 4, in Mumbai's Powai area, was sombre Tuesday as the society gathered to say their final goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of Air India-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad last week. Maal Singh, 68, a neighbour, said he was still in shock. 'We have known each other for a very long time. Mostly, we used to meet each other when Sumeet used to take his father out for walks in the society complex. He was a very polite and calm person. We are still in shock over what has happened.' He said Sumeet was a family man and used to take care of his ageing father. He had been extra attentive since Sumeet's mother passed away 2 years ago. Businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and local MLA Dilip Lande were among those who visited the Sabharwal residence to pay their respects. A guard, who did not wish to be named, told ThePrint that people had started pouring in from 6 am onwards. 'The complex started filling in from 6 am onwards. Even media persons, huge police security, big officers from the police force were present. A lot of them from neighbouring societies also came.' At around 9:45 am, the body was taken for last rites, which were performed at an electric crematorium in suburban Chakala in the presence of family members. The family members left the crematorium around 11 am. Captain Sumeet was the pilot of flight AI-171 to London that crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad. 241 people aboard—229 passengers and 12 crew members—were killed, with only a sole person, a passenger, surviving. Investigations into the cause of the crash are still ongoing. Remembered as a polite & smiling man Sanjay Singh, his neighbour and friend, told ThePrint that earlier, Sumeet used to stay in Delhi, while his parents stayed in Mumbai. However, in 2022, when his mother passed away, Sumeet shifted base to Mumbai to take care of his father. 'He was a doting son. He cared about his family a lot. Whenever he was around, he would not miss a single session of taking his father down for a walk. We used to all meet and greet in society,' said Sanjay Singh. 'In fact, even the day before the accident, I met Sumeet in the complex. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, and was just a regular and smiling fellow. His father, Pushkaraj, was the senior most in our society, and all of us used to take his blessings,' he added. His friends remember him as a caring and polite person. At one point, Sumeet had even discussed quitting his Air India flying job to take up a regular job so he could take care of his father. 'He was a thorough gentleman and a dedicated person. I am just in tears even thinking about him. He used to live in the building next to mine. A soul departed too soon. When I heard about the news, I couldn't believe it,' said 68-year-old neighbour Ratan Lal Singh. His friends, whom ThePrint spoke to, recalled how the father went completely numb after hearing the news of the demise of his son. He is still in shock and is quiet, not in a condition to speak. 'What can he do? It is the biggest tragedy for any father. Normally, a son performs last rites for a father, but here, a father has to see his son depart before him,' said Sanjay Singh. (Edited by Sanya Mathur) Also Read: Former CM Vijay Rupani's body released to family, last rites to be held in Rajkot
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Air India crash survivor released from hospital, to perform brother's last rites
Viswashkumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, has been released from the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. In a telephonic conversation with Aaj Tak, Ramesh confirmed that he is heading home and will perform the last rites of his younger brother on an Indian-origin British national, was amongst the 242 people on board the London-bound flight that crashed shortly after take-off on April 12, slamming into the BJ Medical College hostel and aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was en route to London's Gatwick Airport when the tragedy occurred. This was the first fatal accident involving a 787 since the model entered commercial service in 2011. Ramesh was seated in 11A, next to the emergency exit, when the aircraft broke apart. His seat detached and was flung clear of the wreckage, sparing him from the massive fireball that followed. "The plane broke, and my seat came off," he had earlier told doctors."The place where I landed was low...I took off the seat belt and for a moment, I was scared for my life. But I was near ground level, so I tried to get out," he told DD News.A video of him emerging from the BJ Medical campus shortly after the plane crash had gone viral earlier. Following this, he was admitted to a hospital. Earlier, several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, met him at the has since described his survival as nothing short of a miracle and expressed disbelief at how he lived through the crash. "I can't believe how I survived," Ramesh told reporters. "I thought I would die. People died in front of my eyes," he Watch
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Air accident probe teams begin dissecting AI 171 wreckage
Ahmedabad: The investigation team comprising four agencies, including three international bodies, has cordoned off the AI 171 crash site at Atulyam Complex in Meghaninagar. They are racing against time as monsoon showers pose a challenge for critical evidence collection since morning. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The investigators deployed advanced documentation techniques to preserve every fragment of the plane wreckage. "Each significant piece will be photographed and videographed before removal or being shifted, following international aviation accident protocols," said a senior official at the crash site. "Investigators implement grid systems to accurately map the wreckage distribution and debris field. The pattern of debris is crucial for indicating the angle of impact and reconstructing the aircraft's flight path," explained a senior official at the crash site. The painstaking evidence collection process usually involves cataloguing electronic equipment, mechanical components, hydraulic systems, engine fragments, and flight control avionics—all of which need to be sealed in moisture-proof containers to prevent contamination. "The purpose is to examine fractures and stresses or material failure," the official added. Security remains tight at the site. "Fire services, police, and municipal officials and personnel are at a distance, while the air accident experts are at work. The wreckage has been covered, and a few labourers are assisting them. Even officers are not allowed to take their mobiles or any recording devices," the site official revealed. The investigation is spearheaded by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), working alongside the United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), underscoring the international significance of the probe. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Beyond physical evidence, investigators are compiling extensive data sets, including eyewitness testimonies, aircraft maintenance records, crew training logs, and operational history, to identify potential technical issues or procedural deviations that may have contributed to the accident, explained a senior police official.
