Ahmedabad plane crash is one of India’s most serious air disasters in recent times. All of 12 crew members on the Air India Dreamliner that crashed on June 12 afternoon near Ahmedabad were killed. The flight, which was en route to London Gatwick, carried 242 people. It includes 169 Indians and a few others from the UK, Canada and Portugal. Most importantly, a British national of Indian origin, survived the disaster.
The plane crash tragedy has left India as well as the international community in a state of sadness, mourning. Along with the passengers the crew personnel who had dedicated their lives to the service of the skies had also lost their lives. Ranging from a veteran captain within months of retirement to youthful cabin staff pursuing their dreams, Here’s the details about the 12 crew members on board.
1. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 60 year old, was the most senior crew member of the crashed flight. With a flying experience of more than 8,200 hours, Sumeet was only a few months short of retirement. A Jalvayu Vihar resident in Powai, Mumbai, he stayed with his old father. Sabharwal was a disciplined and methodical pilot and was flying the Dreamliner on its last voyage.
2. First Officer Clive Kunder
Clive Kunder, the co-pilot for the flight, had notched approximately 1,100 flight hours. While new compared to his counterpart, Kunder was also a driven and dedicated pilot. His history is yet to come out, but his death is regretted in the aviation industry.
3. Deepak Pathak
Deepak Pathak, cabin crew member, was from Badlapur in Thane district. He had called his mother hours before the flight to wish her a “good morning.” His sister shared that even though their lives were busy, they never forgot him in their prayers. Deepak was among 5 siblings and had got married four years ago.
4. Saineeta Chakravarty
Saineeta Chakravarty, 35-year-old from Santacruz West in Mumbai had recently joined Air India after a stint with Go Air. She was a passionate flight attendant, her sudden death left her family in disbelief. In an emotional gesture mother, unable to accept the news, told reporters: “Please give me one day. Let her come home first.”
5. Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam Sharma
Nganthoi Sharma who is from Manipur, was a middle sibling in 3 sisters. Her family attempted to contact her several times since the accident but received no call back. Nganthoi’s older sister is a teacher, and the youngest remains in school. The news of the tragedy has put her whole village into mourning.
6. Roshni Rajendra Songhare
A cabin crew member and social media travel influencer with a following of more than 54,000 on Instagram, Roshni Songhare was from Dombivli, Maharashtra. She passed away, confirmed by MLA Ravindra Chavan. With her colorful posts and travel enthusiasm, Roshni had made a niche for herself in aviation as well as online.
7. Shradha Dhavan
Another veteran member of the cabin crew, Shradha Dhavan was admired by her colleagues for her professionalism and warmness. She had flown on many overseas flights and was held in high esteem as a mentor figure by many junior personnel.
8. Aparna Mahadik
Aparna Mahadik, was a senior crew member, committed to working as a flight attendant. She had years of experience in the air and was famous for being well-liked and being able to remain calm under pressure.
9. Maithili Patil
Maithili Patil was one of the youngest of the cabin crew members. Friends say that she was bright, ambitious, and enjoyed being in the air. Her death has shattered her family and friends.
10. Irfan Shaikh
Irfan Shaikh, cabin crew member on board. Irfan was an aviation enthusiast and a dreamer. His colleagues had recalled him as a man who always smile and always took the extra step to make the passengers comfortable.
11. Lamnunthem Singson
From the Northeast region, Lamnunthem Singson contributed her warm cultural presence to each flight. She had just been promoted and was looking forward to her increasing significance in Air India’s global crew team.
12. Manisha Thapa
Manisha Thapa was a youngest crew member on the flight. She was full with enthusiasm. She had recently only joined Air India and was looking forward a bright future in aviation.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
