IN PHOTOS | Ahmedabad plane crash: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's final rites held in Mumbai
The mortal remains of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, pilot in command of the ill-fated Air India flight, were brought to his residence in Powai, Mumbai, on Tuesday. The aircraft departed from the Ahmedabad airport at 1.39 pm from runway 23. The pilot (Sabharwal) of the plane issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after take-off to the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad. Moments later, the plane (AI 171), a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, smashed into the medical complex located outside the airport compound (Pics/ Atul Kamble)
17 June,2025 01:23 PM IST | Anushree Gaikwad
The mortal remains were later taken for the final rites, with Captain Sabharwal's father, Pushkaraj, paying an emotional tribute to his son outside their residence. Pic/ Atul Kamble
Captain Sabharwal lost his life in the tragic accident that occurred on June 12 when the London-bound flight crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad.
On Monday, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi confirmed that DNA samples of 125 victims in the Air India plane crash had been successfully matched, and families of 124 deceased had been contacted. The mortal remains of 83 victims were handed over to their families. Pushkaraj, father of late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal)
The minister visited the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar, where DNA testing of the deceased was being conducted by teams from the FSL and National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU)
Earlier, a memorial ceremony was held by the Indian High Commission in London to honour victims of the Air India AI171 crash
Dignitaries, including India's Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami and UK Deputy PM Angela Rayner, joined diaspora members to pay tribute
India's Ambassador to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Canadian High Commissioner to the UK, Ralph Goodale, serving and former MPs, and members of the Indian diaspora gathered to pay tribute to the departed souls
On June 12, the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London's Gatwick had crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad International Airport
The crash claimed 241 lives out of the 242 people onboard, which included 230 passengers and 12 crew members
Sumit’s 88-year-old father is now alone after the recent tragedy
Sumeet's mother passed away two years ago
Sumit Sabharwal was a senior pilot who had been working as a pilot since 1994
