The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of 17 individuals from Maharashtra, including crew members and passengers. Among the deceased was First Officer Clive Kunder, a 32-year-old pilot who was just two months away from his wedding. Kunder, whose mother was a former Air India flight attendant, had recently begun flying long-haul international flights and had accumulated over 1,110 flying hours. He lived alone in Goregaon, Mumbai, while his parents and sister reside in Sydney.
Other crew members from Maharashtra who perished in the crash include:
- Shraddha Dhawan (44): A senior cabin supervisor from Mulund, Mumbai, who had been with Air India for over two decades. Her husband, CK Rajesh, is also a cabin crew member, and they have a 13-year-old son.
- Aparna Mahadik (42): A senior flight attendant from Goregaon, Mumbai. Her husband, Amol Mahadik, also works with Air India as cabin staff, and she hails from a political family, being the niece of NCP leader Sunil Tatkare.
- Maithili Patil (24): A resident of Nhava village near Panvel, she had been with Air India for two years. Her father, Moreshwar Patil, is a labor contractor with ONGC.
- Saineeta Chakravarty (35): A resident of Juhu Koliwada, she was recently recruited into Air India.
- Deepak Pathak: A crew member from Badlapur who had been with Air India for 11 years.
In addition to the crew, several passengers from Maharashtra were among the victims:
- Roshni Songhare (27): A flight attendant from Dombivli and a popular travel influencer with over 54,000 followers on Instagram. She had a dedicated following for her aspirational content and love for travel.
- Asha Pawar and Mahadev Pawar: An elderly couple from Sangola, Maharashtra, residing in Gujarat. They were traveling to London to meet their son, and the journey had been planned for a long time.
The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, resulted in the deaths of all 242 people on board. The aircraft failed to gain thrust shortly after departure, as indicated in a mayday call — “Thrust not achieved. Falling” — before plummeting and exploding near a residential area, killing around 30 on the ground, including medical students at a nearby hostel.
The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was seated in seat 11A and managed to escape from the wreckage.
The incident has deeply affected the families and communities involved, with many expressing the need for support and assistance during this difficult time.