With folded hands and tearful eyes, Pushkaraj Sabharwal stood outside his Powai home in Mumbai on June 17 morning, offering a heartfelt tribute to his son, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal—the pilot of the tragic 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
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was among the 270 victims of the tragic Air India crash when the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner plunged into a medical complex shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The disaster claimed nearly every life on board, along with 29 people on the ground, leaving just one survivor. His mortal remains were flown to Mumbai early Tuesday, where heartbroken family members received them at the airport before taking him home to Jal Vayu Vihar in Powai.
A large crowd of family members, friends, colleagues, and local residents gathered to pay their final respects. Prominent businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and local MLA Dilip Lande were among those who visited the Sabharwal residence to offer their condolences.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot with 8,200 flying hours, was at the helm of the Air India Dreamliner during the tragic crash. First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 flying hours, was also on board.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the flight took off at 1:39 pm and issued a “Mayday” call shortly after, reaching just 650 feet before crashing. No further communication was received from the aircraft.
Earlier in the day, speaking to mourners, Pushkaraj Sabharwal recalled his son’s promise to retire soon and care for him full-time. “I never imagined I’d have to see him go like this,” he said, his voice trembling with grief.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the tragedy is ongoing, with multiple agencies—including India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)—actively involved in uncovering the cause.
