Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jun 19: The mortal remains of Clive Kunder, the co-pilot of the tragic Air India Flight AI-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, were brought to his family home in Goregaon (West) on Thursday and later buried at the Sewri Christian Cemetery.

Emotional scenes unfolded at Kunder’s residence on Ram Mandir Road, where family, friends, and neighbours gathered in large numbers to bid farewell to the 29-year-old first officer. His grieving parents and younger sister, with whom he lived, were seen inconsolable beside his portrait.

The casket was flown into Mumbai Airport and reached his home early in the day. The body remained there until 1:00 PM, allowing loved ones to pay their final respects before it was taken for burial at 2:30 PM.

Kunder was part of the crew aboard Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner headed to London Gatwick with 242 people on board. The flight crashed shortly after take-off, hitting the B.J. Medical College Hostel near the airport perimeter, erupting into flames and causing widespread devastation. The tragedy claimed the lives of nearly all passengers and crew, along with 33 people on the ground. One passenger survived miraculously.

Local resident and neighbour Sadhiya remembered Kunder as a “jolly, lively, and happy person,” adding, “It felt like a personal loss. So many people came to pay tributes to him — it shows how loved he was.”

Kunder had logged around 1,100 flying hours, and the flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran pilot with over 8,200 hours of experience.

Meanwhile, efforts to identify victims through DNA testing are ongoing. Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel confirmed that by Wednesday, 206 DNA matches had been completed and 169 bodies returned to families.

The horrific crash — one of India’s deadliest in recent years — has left a lasting impact, with mourning families across the country and a probe underway to determine the cause of the disaster.