Mumbai, Jun 17 (PTI) - The mortal remains of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of the Air India plane that tragically crashed in Ahmedabad last week, were brought to Mumbai on Tuesday for the final rites, according to officials. The casket bearing Sabharwal's remains was flown into Mumbai airport on a morning flight and subsequently transported to his home at Jal Vayu Vihar in Powai by family members. A sizeable gathering, comprising friends, relatives, and local residents, assembled outside his residence to pay their respects to Sabharwal, who was 56. Notable personalities such as businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and local MLA Dilip Lande visited the residence to offer their condolences. Sabharwal's father, Pushkaraj Sabharwal, alongside other relatives, was also in attendance to honor his memory. Following the tribute, a hearse carrying the pilot's remains proceeded to Chakala electric crematorium. The unfortunate incident occurred on June 12 when the Air India flight AI-171, destined for London and carrying 242 passengers and crew members, met with disaster in Ahmedabad. The crash claimed the lives of everyone on board, except for one, and took 29 lives on the ground as the aircraft collided with a medical complex. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was at the helm of the ill-fated flight, with First Officer Clive Kundar as his co-pilot. Sabharwal had amassed 8,200 hours of flying experience, while Kundar had 1,100 hours, as per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) statement. “The aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST on June 12 from Runway 23. It sent out a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but there was no response from the aircraft to subsequent ATC communications,” the DGCA reported.
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