Air India: Security Guard of Pilot's House Shares Last 16 Words He Said before Ill-Fated Plane Crash

• Sunil Lokhande, the security guard of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's residence, has opened up about what he told him before the Air India plane crash
• According to the guard, the captain asked about his well-being and gave him an instruction about his aged father, Pushkaraj Sabharwal
• The 16 words that the late pilot-in-command of flight AI-171 told his house's security guard have been made public

The security guard of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's Jal Vayu Vihar residence in Powai neighbourhood of Mumbai, Sunil Lokhande, has recounted his last moment with the late pilot of the ill-fated Air India flight AI-171.

Attention of investigators has shifted to the pilot-in-command of the deadly flight, who reportedly had some mental issues and had suffered depression.

Air India pilot's security guard speaks

UK's The Telegraph reported that the security guard said Sabharwal ran his hand through his hair like he usually did and enquired about his well-being.

The 56-year-old then gave Lokhande an instruction about his aged father. Lokhande said:

“I can’t forget that last moment, when he ran his hand through his hair, like he always did, and said, ‘How are you Mr Lokhande. Please, take care of papa, and I will be back soon."

The security guard added:

“He smiled and went away. You’d never guess he carried any sadness inside.”

Speaking further, Lokhande recounted what the late captain fondly did.

“[Sabharwal] would visit home for two or three days and take his father for an evening walk regularly.

"Buy vegetables and fruits. He would often share fruits with me and would give money to buy meals or tea.”

Sumeet's long-term friend speaks

A fellow Air India pilot, Captain Kapil Kohal, a long-term friend of Sumeet, said he was called a 'sad sack, but described him as a hero with a gentle soul.

“He was my senior at flying school and later in Air India. We called him ‘Sag Sag’ because of his melancholic eyes, but he was deeply charismatic and always ready to help.”

He added:

“When I was assigned to shadow him, he explained flying concepts better than some instructors. He was a middle-class boy looking at the sky, saying, ‘I want to be there.’”

As per Hindustan Times, Captain Shankar Chaudhary, another colleague of Sumeet, said he would miss the late pilot's radiant smile the most.

"Even after long-haul flights, he always greeted us with that same warm, reassuring smile. He was a happy-go-lucky guy.

"Now, every time I see that final image of the aircraft going down, it tears me apart. I wonder—what would I have done in his place?"

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the details of the phone call Captain Sumeet Subharwal made an hour before the ill-fated plane took off had emerged online.

Captain Sumeet's family friend speaks

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a family friend of the pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who flew the crashed Air India plane, had opened up about how he behaved before the tragic disaster.

Speaking with Press Trust of India, Sanjeev Pai, a family friend of Sabharwal, described him as a very good person and an experienced pilot. Sanjeev, a retired wing commander who had worked with Air India staff, said the captain's death was a big loss to the Indian airline.

“I am a retired Wing Commander and have worked with Air India staff in every kind of situation. Captain Sumeet was a very good and experienced pilot. His death is a huge loss for Air India. He was such a calm and peaceful person, an excellent pilot..." he said in part.

Source: Legit.ng