Vikrant Massey’s Family Friend Clive Kunder Dies In Ahmedabad Plane Crash, Was First Officer On Board

Actor Vikrant Massey revealed that his uncle Clifford Kunder's son Clive Kunderr, who was the first officer onboard the flight, was among those who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash.

Clive Kunder was flying alongside Capt Sumeet Sabharwal when the Boeing 787-8 aircraft failed to sustain proper lift during takeoff and went down near a residential area. 

Source : PTI

An Air India flight headed to London’s Gatwick airport crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, claiming several lives. Actor Vikrant Massey revealed that his uncle Clifford Kunder's son Clive Kunderr, who was the first officer onboard the flight, was among those who died in the incident. 

Vikrant Massey reacts to Ahmedabad plane crash

Taking to Instagram Stories, Vikrant wrote: “My heart breaks for the families & loved ones of the ones who lost their lives in the unimaginably tragic air crash in Ahmedabad today. It pains even more to know that my uncle, Clifford Kunder, lost his son, Clive Kunder, who was the 1st officer operating on that fateful flight.”

He added, “May God give strength to you and your family, uncle, and to all deeply affected 🙏.”

Clive Kunder was flying alongside Capt Sumeet Sabharwal when the Boeing 787-8 aircraft failed to sustain proper lift during takeoff and went down near a residential area. 

About Ahmedabad plane crash

According to Air India, the flight was carrying 230 passengers, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The remaining 12 individuals on board included two pilots and 10 cabin crew members.

Moments after taking off at 1:39 pm, the pilot issued a 'Mayday' alert, indicating a full-scale emergency, as confirmed by Ahmedabad’s Air Traffic Control.

Authorities are currently searching for the aircraft’s black box—which includes both the flight data and cockpit voice recorders—to piece together the final moments before the aircraft’s crash while en route to London’s Gatwick airport.

Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft, in operation for 11 years, caught fire mid-air and rapidly lost altitude before crashing. Huge plumes of black smoke were seen billowing into the sky as the aircraft went down. Aviation experts noted that the plane had just started its ascent—reaching only about 600 to 800 feet—before nosediving, suggesting potential engine thrust failure or even a bird strike as possible causes. Television footage showed the jet descending slowly with its landing gear still extended.

“The aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from Runway 23. It gave a MAYDAY call to ATC, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC,” read a statement issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Disturbing visuals from the crash site showed rescue teams pulling bodies from the wreckage while the injured, many suffering burn injuries, were rushed to the nearby civil hospital.

Witnesses in the area described the aftermath as catastrophic. The blaze reportedly damaged several multi-storey buildings, scorched nearby trees, and charred multiple vehicles. One of the most haunting images showed the nose of the aircraft lodged in the upper floor of a building believed to house a hostel for nurses and doctors.

Other scenes depicted the complete destruction left behind—twisted metal, debris, and thick smoke rising from what remained of the aircraft.

This incident marks the first-ever crash involving a Boeing Dreamliner, an aircraft known for its cutting-edge technology. It is also India’s deadliest air tragedy since 2020, when an Air India Express flight overshot the runway in Kozhikode, resulting in 21 fatalities out of 190 passengers, including both pilots.