Mangaluru-origin pilot among crew killed in Air India crash near Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, June 12: First Officer Clive Kunder, who hails from Mangaluru and was a resident of Mumbai, was among the crew members aboard the Air India flight AI 171 that tragically crashed in a residential area near Meghaninagar in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, shortly after take-off.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner had departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 PM en route to London. Just about five minutes into the flight, the aircraft went down, leading to a devastating crash that claimed at least 133 lives. The flight was carrying 232 passengers—including two infants—and 12 crew members, making a total of 242 people on board.
Clive Kunder had completed his pilot training at Paris Air Inc. and had clocked around 1,100 hours of flying experience. He was assisting Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flight experience. Both were in the cockpit when the aircraft encountered trouble and crashed.
There were unconfirmed reports suggesting that former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also on the passenger manifest, reportedly listed as passenger number 12. However, authorities are yet to confirm his presence on board.
Following the crash, flames engulfed the aircraft wreckage, with thick black smoke visible from several kilometres away. Emergency services, including the fire department, responded promptly. Fire Officer Jayesh Khadia confirmed that fire tenders were dispatched immediately to control the blaze and assist in rescue operations.
Senior cabin crew on duty included Shradha Dhavan and Aparna Mahadik. Other crew members identified were Saineeta Chakravarti, Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam Sharma, Deepak Pathak, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Lamnunthem Singson, Roshni Songhare Rajendra, and Manisha Thapa.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has deployed a dedicated investigation team to probe the incident. The team includes the Director of Airworthiness, Assistant Director of Airworthiness, and a Flight Operations Inspector—who were already in Ahmedabad at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, operations at the Ahmedabad airport have been suspended until further notice. "All flight operations at SVPIA are temporarily suspended," an airport spokesperson said.
The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. Rescue and recovery operations continue at the crash site, as authorities work to identify victims and offer support to grieving families.
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Fishing community in Karnataka deprived of burial ground for two decades: Report
Chikkamagaluru: Around 150 families from the Shillekytha fishing community (Scheduled Caste) in Menasuru Ravuru Camp, located near the backwaters of the Bhadra River in NR Pura Taluk, have reportedly been living without a burial ground for nearly two decades.
As a result, they are forced to bury their dead in an islet located a few kilometers away, often using traditional coracles to transport the bodies for the last rites, as reported by The New Indian Express on Friday.
One community member shared the struggles they face, particularly during the monsoon season. “We find water as we start digging a pit. We cover the pit with leaves to prevent water from seeping in before burying the body there,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
During summer months, when the Bhadra backwaters recede, the community members resort to burying bodies along the shore. However, even these temporary solutions come with their own challenges. In some cases, families have had to reuse burial spots where previous bodies were laid to rest.
Repeated appeals to local authorities, including the gram panchayat, taluk administration, local MLA, and other elected representatives, for a burial ground, housing, electricity, and other basic amenities have reportedly gone unanswered.
Meanwhile, a local leader stated that the members of the Shillekytha fishing community are nomads, frequently moving from place to place. He added that this nomadic lifestyle is the reason why the community has been deprived of basic amenities, including access to a burial ground and essential services.
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