Pilot Sumeet Sabharwal’s last words to ailing father before Air India tragedy: ‘I will quit flying to take care for you’

The entire country is mourning after the heartbreaking incident in Ahmedabad that claimed 241 people's lives on board. This includes the pilot and co-pilot of the plane. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder died in the Ahmedabad plane crash on Thursday afternoon.

Both these pilots had a total of 9300 hours of flying experience, and both were flying the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The plane crashed within minutes of takeoff, and only one passenger, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, survived the accident.

Experienced pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had 8300 hours of flying experience. Sabharwal, a resident of Powai, had reportedly promised his father that he would quit his job and spend all his time taking care of him.

Captain Sabharwal was unmarried and lived with his 90-year-old father. According to the Times of India report, Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Pandey, who had come to Sabharwal's house to offer condolences, said that just a few days ago, Captain Sumit had told his father that he would leave his job and take care of him.

Captain Sumeet's neighbours said that the Sabharwal family has a deep connection with the aviation industry. Captain Sabharwal's father has retired from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Whereas his two nephews are also pilots.

A neighbour said that whenever Captain Sabharwal used to go out, he used to ask to take care of his father, but now his father is completely broken.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's co-pilot and first officer, Clive Kunder, also died in the accident. Clive Kunder had 1100 hours of flying experience, and his mother was a former Air India flight attendant.

DGCA said that shortly before the plane lost contact, pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal issued a 'MAYDAY' call to Air India Traffic Control. MAYDAY call is a distress signal, which is mainly used to indicate an emergency.

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