Mumbai: “Coming home, Lord, I’m coming home,” sang the sobbing voices in a chorus at the Sewri Christian Cemetery as they bid farewell to Clive Kunder, the first pilot of Air India’s ill-fated plane that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. While his friends, relatives and colleagues joined the family in mourning his loss, they unanimously expressed that the young aviator is now flying in higher skies.
Kunder (32) was the first pilot of Air India’s flight AI-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad soon after take-off and killed most of the people onboard. Exactly a week after the tragic accident, Kunder’s mortal remains were brought to his residence in Sunteck City in Goregaon (W), received by his inconsolable parents and a younger sister. Known for his infectious laughter, Kunder left hundreds of his near and dear ones crying at the prayer service at the residence.
The family had recently moved to Goregaon from Kalina and were members of the UBM Christha Kanthi Church in Kurla. The young pilot was known to be a deeply religious person rooted in traditional values. Recalling the lost soul, the church’s pastor Reverend Sam Unni said, “We have lost a loving and humble person. He will be remembered as someone with great respect and reverence for religion.”
The chapel at the Sewri Christian Cemetery, where Kunder was laid to rest, fell small for the huge crowd that came to bid final goodbye to the pilot. With tearful eyes, his friends, family and relatives held his framed photographs in uniform, a symbol of respect to the aviator who was gone in the line of duty.
Kunder’s colleagues and pilots from Air India also joined to give the last salute to Kunder and recalled their time working with him. His colleague and childhood friend Arun Balachandran said, “I was fortunate enough to know Clive from playing football with him in our old days to later flying in the same cockpit. He has always been perfect at whatever he does, be it playing football or flying planes. From flying in earthly skies to flying in heavenly skies, his legacy will live in our hearts.”
In a corner of the chapel stood a group of youngsters crying silently on the loss of their dear friend. One of his friends, Stephie Miranda recalled his memories with Kunder which date back to their college days 17 years ago. “From batchmates to friends to extended family, we have come to know Clive’s many facets. From all of them, we loved him for the person he was, who always kept his family first, devoted to his little sister and made everything light hearted. We are incredibly proud of the person he became. We do not believe that he has died, he is only flying higher.”
Crew member Roshni Songhare Departs For Her Final Journey
The mortal remains of Roshni Songhare, one of the 10 flight attendants on-board the AI-171, were brought to her residence in Dombivali’s New Umiya Society. While the family was looking for a suitable groom to marry their 26-year-old daughter, her sudden demise left the family in shock. Her mother cried her heart out on the casket that brought her daughter’s remains home until she fainted. She was laid to rest at the crematorium along the nearby Shiva temple.
