Who Was Clive Kunder? Mangaluru Native Co-Pilot Killed in Ahmedabad Air Crash

First Officer Clive Kunder, a young pilot with Mangaluru roots and a resident of Mumbai, was among the 12 crew members aboard Air India Flight AI171 that tragically crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, on Thursday afternoon, June 12.

The ill-fated flight, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 PM, headed for London, but went down just five minutes after takeoff. Onboard were 232 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew, totaling 242 people.

Among the passengers, unconfirmed reports suggest former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani may have been listed as passenger number 12, though this has not been officially verified.

A Promising Career Cut Short

Clive had trained at Paris Air Inc., a Florida-based flight training institute, and had clocked 1,100 hours of flying experience. He served as First Officer on the flight, assisting Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior Line Training Captain with over 8,200 flying hours.

Though based in Mumbai, Clive maintained a deep connection with his coastal hometown of Mangaluru, where friends remember him as soft-spoken, highly focused, and deeply passionate about flying.

Timeline of the Tragedy

According to eyewitness accounts, the aircraft appeared to lose altitude rapidly before crashing into a tightly packed neighborhood. It was immediately engulfed in flames, with plumes of smoke visible for kilometres.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has dispatched a high-level team-including the Director of Airworthiness, Assistant Director, and a Flight Operations Inspector-to investigate the crash. Officials on the scene have recovered the aircraft's black box, which will be crucial in uncovering what went wrong.

In the wake of the incident, all flight operations at Ahmedabad airport have been suspended indefinitely.

Other Crew Members Identified

Alongside Clive and Captain Sabharwal, the following cabin crew have been identified:

• Shradha Dhavan
• Aparna Mahadik
• Saineeta Chakravarti
• Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam Sharma
• Deepak Pathak
• Maithili Patil
• Irfan Shaikh
• Lamnunthem Singson
• Roshni Songhare Rajendra
• Manisha Thapa

Investigations Underway

Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the crash. Investigators are expected to explore multiple angles including mechanical failure, human error, and external factors. The DGCA has assured that a full and transparent probe will be conducted.