Remains of Co-Pilot from Ahmedabad Air India Crash Brought to Mumbai
The mortal remains of First Officer Clive Kunder, co-pilot of the Air India flight AI-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, were brought to his Mumbai residence on June 19, 2025. The crash resulted in the deaths of all but one on board and 29 on the ground. Kunder's last rites are scheduled at Sewri Christian Cemetery. This follows the recent last rites of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal.
Unpacked:
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft lost power and thrust shortly after takeoff, leading to a rapid descent. The black box (flight data and cockpit voice recorders) was damaged and may be sent abroad for analysis to help determine the precise cause of the accident.
The only survivor was a British-Indian man seated in 11A. Details about how he survived have not been fully disclosed, but he was the only passenger to survive among 241 people on board. No further specifics about his injuries or circumstances have been released.
This was Air India's first fatal hull loss since the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, and the first fatal crash and hull loss involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011. The incident is therefore a major tragedy in both Air India's and civil aviation history.
Indian aviation authorities are leading the investigation, assisted by the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the US FAA and NTSB. They are examining flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and physical evidence from the crash site to reconstruct the accident's timeline and causes.