Crew Members Had Different Fates: Departure of One Dreamed to Soar, While Another Decided to Part Ways Before Tragic Air India Flight Crash
Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Disaster of June 12, 2025
Tragedy struck the skies on June 12, 2025, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (AI171) crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, en route to London. The plane nosedived into a medical college hostel, leaving a catastrophic scene and taking the lives of 241 individuals, including both pilots and all crew members.
The Crew
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal
Veteran pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 hours of flying experience, was a seasoned professional. Residing in Powai, Mumbai, the 50-year-old was on the verge of retirement to care for his 90-year-old father, a retired DGCA official. Tragedy struck just days before his planned retirement, as the plane failed to gain altitude beyond 825 feet before slamming into the nearby hostel.
First Officer Clive Kunder
With 1,100 hours of flight experience, 26-year-old Clive Kunder boasted a bright aviation future. A legacy flyer, his mother had served as an Air India flight attendant. Kunder was remembered as dedicated and enthusiastic. Nevertheless, fate had a different plan, and the young aviator met his untimely demise on June 12.
Cabin Crew
Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma
Joining Air India in April 2023, Nganthoi Sharma, aged 22, came from Thoubal district. The tragedy occurred barely a year after her career with the airline started. Deepest sympathies go out to her family, including her two sisters, one of whom recalls her last conversation before boarding the flight.
Lamnunthem Singson
Also from Manipur, 24-year-old Lamnunthem Singson embarked on her career with Air India earlier in 2025. Her family, displaced by ethnic violence, struggled to come to terms with her sudden and tragic demise. The youngest of three siblings was raised by her single mother after her father's passing.
Deepak Pathak
A flight attendant for more than 11 years, 36-year-old Deepak Pathak made it a point to call his family before every flight. Days before the crash, he made his routine call from Ahmedabad. Despite frantic efforts to reach him after the incident, no news was forthcoming, leaving his family in despair.
Saineeta Chakravarty
Known as 'Pinky', Saineeta Chakravarty was a beloved aviator from Juhu Koliwada. With a history of working with Go Air, she recently joined Air India. Her childhood friends remember her as ambitious and hardworking, and her story serves as an inspiration to many young girls in her community.
Maithili Moreshwar Patil
Originated from a humble background, Maithili Patil, 22, hailed from Nhava village, Panvel. Her father, a welder, secured ONGC contract work, and her job at Air India propelled the family towards better opportunities. Her tragic demise left her loved ones and colleagues heartbroken.
Roshni Rajendra Songhare
With 54,000 Instagram followers, Roshni Songhare passionately shared her life and travel experiences. A resident of Dombivli, her family is now grappling with the loss of a young woman who followed her dreams to the skies.
Aparna Mahadik
Aparna Mahadik, 40, was a seasoned cabin crew member who met her husband Amol Mahadik while working for Air India. The couple, based in Goregaon, shared a deep passion for aviation and had an 8-year-old daughter. On the day of the crash, Aparna took off for London, while herhusband was on a separate flight to Delhi.
Cabin Supervisor Shraddha Dhavan
Experienced cabin supervisor Shraddha Dhavan dedicated 21 years of her life to Air India, leaving a successful career in business administration behind to pursue her dreams. She lived with her husband and 13-year-old daughter in Mulund and is remembered for her strong commitment to her profession.
Manisha Thapa and Irfan Shaikh
Gorkha cabin crew member Manisha Thapa and fellow crew member Irfan Shaikh also lost their lives in the tragic accident. Further information about their personal lives remains scarce at this time.
The exact cause of the crash remains a mystery as the official investigation continues. No definitive conclusions have been reached, and the flight data recorders ("black boxes") have been recovered for further analysis. While this investigation unfolds, our hearts go out to the families and friends of the 241 souls forever lost on that fateful day.
- Despite the ongoing investigation into the causes of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash on June 12, 2025, politics and general news outlets have already begun speculating about potential factors, such as war-and-conflicts in the region or mechanical failures related to crime-and-justice issues in aircraft manufacturing.
- As members of the aviation community mourn the loss of the countless lives, including experienced captain Sumeet Sabharwal, first officer Clive Kunder, and dedicated cabin crew like Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, Lamnunthem Singson, Deepak Pathak, Saineeta Chakravarty, Maithili Moreshwar Patil, Roshni Rajendra Songhare, Aparna Mahadik, and Cabin Supervisor Shraddha Dhavan, sports coverage has taken a somber tone, with athletes and coaches expressing their condolences in sports-related news sections.
- The aftermath of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner disaster has even touched the crime-and-justice sector, as the tragic loss of life has led to renewed calls for stricter safety regulations and investigations into the crash's causes, with some questioning if accidents like this could have been prevented.
