The pilots of Air India Flight AI171, which crashed minutes after takeoff with 242 people on board, have been identified as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder.
The flight, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, departed from runway 23 at 1:39 PM local time on June 12. Just moments into the flight, Captain Sabharwal issued a mayday call:
“Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.”
An experienced pilot with over 8,200 flight hours, Sabharwal’s final transmission was confirmed by India’s aviation authority. Tragically, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed just 1.5 miles beyond the runway, in the densely populated Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat.
Only one passenger survived: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was reportedly seated in 11A. The crash claimed the lives of 229 passengers and 12 crew members.
Air India confirmed the incident in a statement:
“Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, was involved in an accident shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, a 12-year-old Boeing 787-8, was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew.”
Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed his sorrow:
“With profound grief, I confirm this tragic event. Our thoughts and condolences are with the families of the victims. Our priority is to support the affected and assist emergency services on the ground.”
An emergency response center has been activated, and Air India has deployed support teams to aid grieving families. Further updates will follow as investigations continue.
