Farewell ‘Sabby': Air India, colleagues bid adieu to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, lead pilot of crashed AI171
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot of Air India flight 171. The flight crashed minutes after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport. Shortly after taking off, Captain Sabharwal issued a 'mayday' call to Ahmedabad ATC, stating that the plane was unable to gain height.
The London-bound flight crashed seconds after this mayday call, killing 241 of 242 passengers and cabin crew on board as well as 29 people on ground.
Taking to X, Air India's official account issued a farewell message for the late pilot.
"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," reads the statement.
"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," Air India said further.
Captain Sabharwal's friends, family and colleagues gathered at his Powai residence on Tuesday for his last rites.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Air India captain and Sabharwal's colleague Kapil Kohal shared how the Air India family now viewed the late Captain as a "hero."
"Captain Sabharwal was our senior. We've known him for 35 years. He was a batch senior in training, and later, in Air India too. He was our friend and colleague. Today, we see him as a hero," Kohal told PTI.
The Air India pilot further shared that many of his close friends would refer to him as "Sabby," adding that the pilot was a humble personality despite wearing four stripes."
Kohal further shared that he took a flight two days after the Ahmedabad plane crash, but "the skies felt cold."
"I took a flight out just two days after it happened. And the skies felt cold. The morale of everyone—passengers, ground staff, dispatchers—was just… shattered. Even on the ATC, you could hear it in their voices, especially when I used my call sign," Captain Kohal said.
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