Mangaluru mourns native co-pilot Clive Kundar in Ahmedabad crash

12 Jun 2025 22:20 IST

Updated On 12 Jun 2025 22:20 IST

Mangaluru mourns native co-pilot Clive Kundar in Ahmedabad crash

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Clive Kundar, co-pilot of AI 171, hailed from Mangaluru and trained at Paris Air Inc
He had logged 1,100 flight hours and was based in Mumbai
His sudden death in the Ahmedabad crash has shocked friends and the Mangaluru community

The co-pilot of Air India flight AI 171, which tragically crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, has been identified as Clive Kundar, a native of Mangaluru. The young aviator, though based in Mumbai, had deep roots in the coastal city, where news of his death has left the community in shock.

Also Read: Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani among 241 victims killed in Air India crash near Ahmedabad

Kundar completed his pilot training at Paris Air Inc. in the United States and had amassed 1,100 flight hours, marking him as a promising figure in Indian aviation. Friends and former classmates recall him as disciplined, ambitious, and deeply passionate about flying.

Social media platforms were flooded with messages of grief and remembrance on Thursday evening as the tragic news reached Mangaluru. Residents, especially in his hometown neighborhood, expressed disbelief and sorrow, remembering Kundar as a kind-hearted and focused individual who had made his mark early in life.

While the cause of the crash remains under investigation, officials have yet to release details about the sequence of events that led to the mid-afternoon tragedy. The aviation ministry has assured a full probe, as questions continue to swirl around the unexpected loss of the flight.

As authorities search for answers, the people of Mangaluru are left mourning one of their own—a young pilot whose career had only just begun to take flight.

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