With Tearful Eyes, Father Bids Final Goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, Pilot Killed in Air India Crash in Ahmedabad

New Delhi: The father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was flying the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, gave an emotional tribute to his son outside their residence in Powai, Mumbai on Tuesday. Holding back tears, Pushkaraj Sabharwal stood surrounded by relatives and neighbours as he remembered his son's dedication and courage.

Captain Sabharwal was in command of Air India flight AI171, which was headed to London. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed on June 12, killing 270 people with 241 onboard and 29 on the ground. The aircraft hit the B.J. Medical College hostel in the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff.

Pilot’s Last Words: ‘Mayday, Mayday, No Pressure, No Thrust’

According to Aviation Ministry Secretary S.K. Sinha, the plane took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM and quickly started losing altitude after reaching about 650 feet. Captain Sabharwal sent a distress message to air traffic control, repeatedly saying, "Mayday, mayday, no pressure, no thrust." Seconds later, the connection was lost. The aircraft crashed within one minute of takeoff.

Captain Sabharwal had over 8,200 hours of flying experience and was also a Line Training Captain (LTC) — responsible for mentoring younger pilots. Colleagues and aviation officials described him as calm, professional, and highly respected in the industry.

Investigation and Black Box Recovery

Aviation authorities recovered the flight data recorder (black box), which will help in understanding the exact cause of the crash. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said a full investigation is underway and findings will be made public.

This was one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.