The spotlight of attention continues to probe the life of late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal , 56, after it was suggested that he intentionally cut the fuel supply to the doomed Air India Flight 171 on June 12.
Last week—mere days after India’s civil aviation authority released a document reporting one pilot asking the other why he had cut off the fuel supply—it was learned that Sabharwal’s understudy, First Officer Clive Kunder, had his hands full with the throttle.
- Air India Flight 171’s crash investigation zeroes in on Captain Sumeet Sabharwal.
- Colleagues describe Sabharwal as gentle and soft-spoken.
- Investigators discovered Sabharwal’s final words to a guard were hours before the crash.
The ensuing analysis pointed out that Sabharwal, the senior pilot on deck, was unoccupied and highlighted his freedom to toggle the fuel switches.
Since these observations, colleagues and others close to the man have come to his defense, but it has also been discovered that he had suffered more than one life-changing disappointment in the last three years of his life.
Friends have been coming to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s defense since the speculation about him surfaced
Air India pilot smiling in uniform with sunglasses and tie standing near an aircraft on the day of crash.
One person to weigh in on the commercial aircraft captain was 61-year-old Neil Pais.
After an interview, British outlet The Telegraph reported the former colleague saying on July 18 that Sabharwal “had absolutely no airs about himself.”
Pais further described the man “as so humble, so respectful” and said that he “always [had] a smile when he spoke to you.”
Side view of an Air India Boeing 787-8 airplane parked at the airport, highlighting Air India pilot and crash context.
“I never once saw him raise his voice or lose his temper. And yet he never compromised on work or safety. If there was an issue, he’d point it out, but always in the nicest possible way.”
Sabharwal earned the name “sad sack,” and it may have hinted at more than just his appearance
A report by Bored Panda corroborated Pais’ assertions when it quoted a friend of Sabharwal’s, Kapil Kohal, saying that he was “very polite, never cursed, never drank alcohol , and spoke so softly” that sometimes Kohal had to ask him to speak louder.
Wreckage of Air India plane crash with smoke and flames rising above building, showing aftermath of the disaster.
“If you open his cupboard, there were two formal shirts, two T-shirts, two pairs of shoes, one slippers, and one bag,” Kohal recalled of their school days together.
“He was a very reserved guy right from the beginning.” Kohal further noted Sabharwal’s downward slanted eyes and indicated that it was this only that earned him the nickname “sad sack.”
Air India pilot’s plane crash site with security guard inspecting damaged building wreckage at night.
But new information has emerged indicating that there was perhaps more to the moniker than just his appearance.
Air India notes that he was “medically cleared,” but not everyone agreed with this assessment
Mourners gathered at a memorial banner for Air India pilot Capt Sumeet Sabharwal amid personal turmoil and crash investigation.
Amidst the ongoing spat between American experts and media outlets and the Federation of Indian Pilots, investigators have started probing Sabharwal’s background, and have since found that his mother’s passing in 2022 had weighed heavily on him.
He took bereavement leave and, upon his return, separated from his wife so that he could live closer to his aging father, Pushkaraj, according to the Daily Mail .
Reports indicate that he had been “medically cleared” before the crash.
A new video from the Air India plane crash site in Ahmedabad has emerged, showing Vishwas, the sole survivor in the accident, walking away from the crash site. 😥 pic.twitter.com/yERCC30joF — Pookie Blunders (@TheGemsofX) June 16, 2025
Unlock an Enhanced Experience with Bored Panda Premium
Go ad-free, access unlimited content, and enjoy our sleek dark mode. Your favorite stories, uninterrupted.
No fees, cancel anytime
Olympian Makes Stunning Admission After Judge’s Conspicuous Scores Ignite Cheating Accusations
