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‘His legacy will forever be etched’: Air India pays final tribute to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who died in Ahmedabad plane crash

Air India paid tribute to Captain Sabharwal in an emotional post on X.

Captain Sabharwal was the lead pilot of the London-bound Air India Flight 171, which crashed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12 (Image source: ANI)

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the Air India pilot who died in the ill-fated Flight 171, was laid to rest on Tuesday. His body was brought to his residence in Powai, Maharashtra, and his family members and friends gathered to pay their final respects.

Air India paid tribute to Captain Sabharwal in an emotional post on X. “With profound grief and heavy hearts, we bid farewell to Captain Sabharwal — an exceptional aviator, a dedicated professional, and a beloved member of the Air India family,” the post read.

“Captain Sabharwal’s unwavering commitment to the skies and his quiet strength on the ground earned him deep respect across the aviation fraternity. We stand in solidarity with his loved ones during this time of immense loss. His memory will continue to inspire us, and his legacy will forever be etched in the heart of Air India. RIP Captain. You will be missed,” the post said.

See the post here:

A Final Salute to Captain Sabharwal

With profound grief and heavy hearts, we bid farewell to Captain Sabharwal – an exceptional aviator, a dedicated professional, and a beloved member of the Air India family.

Captain Sabharwal’s unwavering commitment to the skies and his quiet…

— Air India (@airindia) June 17, 2025

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Moments after departure, he issued a distress “mayday” call to air traffic control, reporting that the aircraft was unable to gain altitude. Tragically, the plane crashed seconds later, resulting in the deaths of 241 out of 242 people on board, including passengers and crew, as well as 29 individuals on the ground, including five MBBS students. One passenger miraculously survived the tragedy.

Meanwhile, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to identify the victims of the crash. A Gujarat minister, on Tuesday, stated that 162 victims out of 270 have been identified so far, and 120 bodies have been handed over to their families.