Co-pilot laid to rest in Sewri, Dombivli bids goodbye to young flight attendant

1
2
Mumbai: Air India co-pilot Clive Kunder, 32, who was killed in the Ahmedabad air crash on June 12, was buried in Sewri cemetery on Thursday. His family accorded him a ceremonial farewell complete with a formal invitation card, funeral band, black hearse and floral wreaths.
And in Dombivli, throngs of people converged to mourn young flight attendant Roshni Songhare, 26, whose death has left her parents bereft of their main breadwinner.
Around 9am, Clive's family brought his coffin to his residence at Sunteck City Avenue 1 at Ram Mandir, Goregaon West. A small ceremony unfolded in the lobby and after an hour the coffin was taken up to his house.
Capt Kunder's parents Clifford and Rekha and sister Camille sat by his body.
A neighbour said, "He was a kind soul. Such a tragic incident should not have befallen him."
Executives from Tata Trusts, the owner of Tata Group of companies, gathered at his funeral service. They stood alongside his family and friends to pay their respects and share in their sadness. A large wreath of white flowers with his name was placed on his coffin by Tata Trusts executives.
At 1pm, the hearse drove to Sewri Christian Cemetery accompanied by a funeral band.
Under the grey, drizzling sky, the ceremony began at 3pm. Clive's remains arrived in a white-silver casket with white rose wreaths and bouquets of red roses.
Lifelong friends Stephie and Raya spoke of his selflessness and his loyalty to his family. "Let us take a moment to gather our anger, sorrow, frustration, but mainly, our pride in Clive. He has not died, he is only flying higher." Then, like a mantra against despair, they intoned Walt Whitman's 'O Captain! My Captain!'
Next came Arun Balachandran, who knew Clive as a schoolmate he bumped into at Kalina bus stop.
"We used to play football together," he recalled. Pastors of UBM Church Kurla and Ambernath followed with the remainder of John 11:30-44, reminding the mourners that even Jesus knew the sting of sorrow. The choir struck up Horatio Spafford's 'It Is Well with My Soul' accompanied by guitars and violins.
In Dombivli, flight attendant Roshni Songhare was cremated in Dutt Nagar. At 9.30am, the coffin reached her house in Rajaji Path where her wailing mother Rajashree waited in vain to see her one last time.
Since the body was damaged and packed in a coffin, the family was instructed not to open it. The last rites were performed the same way.
Senior Air India officials were present including Saurabh Agrawal, executive director and group CFO of Tata Sons Pvt Ltd, and Ju Li NG, divisional vice president and head of cabin crew of Air India. Mourners including Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh More watched as Roshni's father lit the pyre.
Meanwhile, Badlapur cabin crew Deepak Pathak has not yet been identified. His brother-in-law and sisters are still waiting in Ahmedabad.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Business Standard

27 minutes ago

• Business Standard

Air India CEO denies funeral absence claims, reaffirms Tata support

Campbell Wilson affirms management attended all AI171 crew funerals, says families are now Tata families, and outlines safety checks and scaled operations post-crash Deepak Patel New Delhi Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson on Friday said senior executives of the airline were present at the funeral of every flight crew member who perished in the June 12 AI171 crash, dismissing 'social media commentary' that alleged otherwise. 'We have had senior representation at each and every one,' Wilson wrote in a message to employees, adding that the management chose to keep a low profile 'as a matter of respect', to avoid disrupting services 'so important for families and loved ones'. Wilson also said the airline is supporting the families of the deceased crew members as it would those of its own staff. 'These families are now Tata families,' he said, echoing a statement by Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran. About 500 employees from Air India and 17 other Tata Group companies are in Ahmedabad assisting families of passengers, crew and residents affected by the tragedy. 'We will continue supporting those affected long after the work in Ahmedabad is done,' Wilson said. On the ongoing investigation into the crash of flight AI171 — which killed 241 people, including 34 on the ground — Wilson said the airline is fully cooperating with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). 'What happened? There are many theories but, as the accident is now under official investigation by the AAIB, it is not appropriate for us to comment or speculate. We are providing all information requested by the AAIB and are cooperating completely. It is vital that the facts, whatever they may be, are known so that we and the industry at large can learn from them,' he said. 'If there is any discovery during the investigation that suggests airlines or suppliers need to change something urgently, we have confidence that such information would be shared quickly. For our part, we will be transparent with what is shared with us,' he noted. The AI171 flight had 242 people — 10 cabin crew members, two pilots and 230 passengers — on board. All but one passenger died in the crash. Wilson, in his message, reassured staff that Air India's Boeing 787 fleet has passed the additional checks ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). 'We have also, as a matter of abundant caution, voluntarily decided to continue additional pre-flight checks... Where there is any doubt, we will not release aircraft — of any type — for service,' he noted. He explained that these checks, along with airspace restrictions over the Middle East and Pakistan, have led to temporary flight reductions. 'We will progressively restore (services) when the time is right,' he said. Air India on Thursday night announced the suspension of its Delhi–Nairobi, Amritsar–London (Gatwick), and Goa (Mopa)–London (Gatwick) services, and reduction of frequencies on many other international routes, as part of a temporary scaling down of operations on its long-haul network. The airline cited voluntary enhanced safety inspections and extended flight durations due to airspace closures in the Middle East as the reasons for the move, which will take effect from June 21 and continue at least until July 15. Despite the setback, Wilson on Friday maintained that Air India's long-term ambitions remain intact. 'Our aim in every respect — be it safety, quality, service, scale, reach, professionalism or any other dimension — remains the same, if not higher than before,' he said, adding that the airline continues to have the 'full support of both shareholders'. Tata Group and Singapore Airlines hold 74.9 per cent and 25.1 per cent shares in Air India. Wilson ended the note by urging employees to stay focused on safety and professionalism. 'Let us continue to perform our roles as professionally as we possibly can, with complete focus on safety — and, as always, with care for our customers and each other,' he wrote.

Business Standard

2 hours ago

• Business Standard

Air India flight grounded in Pune after bird hit; return leg cancelled

An Air India flight from Delhi to Pune suffered a bird strike on Friday, resulting in the cancellation of its return leg to Delhi. The aircraft landed safely, and the bird hit was discovered after it touched down in Pune, the airline said in a statement. The plane has been grounded for detailed inspection, and extensive checks are being carried out by the engineering team. 'Flight AI2470, scheduled to operate from Pune to Delhi on 20 June, has been cancelled due to a bird hit which was identified after the incoming flight landed safely in Pune,' the airline stated. Air India added that it is arranging accommodation for stranded passengers and offering full refunds or complimentary rescheduling. Efforts are also underway to arrange alternate travel options to Delhi. Air India cancels eight more flights amid operational checks This incident comes on the heels of Air India announcing the cancellation of eight other flights —four international and four domestic—on Friday, citing 'enhanced maintenance and operational reasons'. While the airline did not provide detailed explanations, it said it would reduce its wide-body international flight schedule by around 15 per cent from June 20 through mid-July. The move is aimed at creating reserve capacity while aircraft undergo intensive safety inspections. Crash-led inspections impact Air India operations nationwide The cancellations follow a fatal crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12. Since then, the airline has stepped up safety inspections across its Boeing 787 and 777 fleets. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board, along with at least 30 people on the ground. The sole survivor, 40-year-old Vishwaskumar Ramesh, was seated near an emergency exit. Since the accident, multiple Air India flights have been delayed or cancelled, with the airline attributing disruptions to 'technical snags' as a result of ongoing checks.

Mint

2 hours ago

• Mint

From final farewells to flight disruptions: A tough week for Air India post Ahmedabad crash

From final farewells to flight disruptions: A tough week for Air India post Ahmedabad crash 9 Photos . Updated: 20 Jun 2025, 01:27 PM IST The June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash stands as one of the most devastating tragedies in aviation history, claiming 241 lives onboard. As the nation continues to mourn, Air India has announced the rescheduling of several flights, signalling a tough week for the airline. 1/9The tragic Air India crash occurred on June 12, when a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft collided with a hostel complex belonging to BJ Medical College. 2/9In the recent Ahmedabad plane crash involving Air India flight AI-171, 241 of the 242 people on board tragically lost their lives. 3/9Family members and friends gathered at Sewri Christian Cemetery to bid a final farewell to Pilot Clive Kunder, who lost his life in the Air India plane crash shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. 4/9Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel pays tribute to former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani during a prayer meeting held in Gandhinagar. Rupani tragically lost his life in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. 5/9Dombivli witnessed a heartbreaking farewell as the mortal remains of air hostess Roshni Songire, who tragically perished in the recent Ahmedabad plane crash, were laid to rest. 6/9Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of the ill-fated Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, paid his final respects to his son with teary eyes outside their residence in Powai, Mumbai. 7/9Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in seat 11A on the ill-fated Air India flight to London, emerged as the sole survivor of the crash. 8/9Post the crash, Air India announced the cancellation of four international and four domestic flights, citing enhanced maintenance and operational reasons.