Air India: Captain Discloses Private Information about Late Pilot's Health Condition and Marriage

• Captain Sam Thomas has come to the defence of his late colleague, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, by disclosing certain details about his health and marriage
• Sabharwal recently came under intense public scrutiny and negative media portrayal following the Air India flight AI-171 crash
• However, his colleague, Captain Sam, and trainers, Captains Reandhava and Gupta, have provided insights into the late pilot's life experiences and professional character

Captain Sam Thomas, a colleague of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, has defended the pilot over allegations and reports accusing him of likely causing the ill-fated Air India plane crash on June 12.

Speaking to Indian television journalist Barkha Dutt, on her Bottomline show, Sam, along with Captains Reandhava and Gupta, who were Sabharwal's trainers, spoke highly of the deceased.

Captain speaks about Sabharwal's health and marriage

Sam described Sabharwal as a silent person who was a bit more studious and had a quiet strength.

He claimed there must be an Air India insider leaking information about the deceased pilot in a derogatory manner.

Sam said that Sabharwal does not become a bad person because he was not a partygoer. Speaking further, he said the late pilot did not have the best marriage and had a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Downplaying the vitamin B12 deficiency health condition, Sam said it did not mean Sabharwal had a mental illness, as is being reported by some media outlets.

"...Sumeet, on the other hand, was a little bit more studious. He is not that over-the-top kind of person. He is a very silent kind of guy who would be happy reading the FCOM of the trip 7 from page, you know, from cover to cover.

"Now, he had, uh, these are private things which I have spoken in the group, with the friends of Sumeet and said look, 'It's time I went and told all these things under this.' Ordinarily, I would never speak about this.

"Unfortunately, I feel that I'm speaking on behalf of Sumeet, and I will have to put the facts out because evidently, it is some pilot from Air India who is leaking this information about Sumeet in a derogatory manner.

"Now, just because he doesn't comply to the partygoing kind of uh pilot, it does not mean that he's a bad person. Now unfortunately he had not the best of marriages.

"Now that if you go by that scale, half of jetways would have been not you know in a different country altogether.

"Now, having said that both were recovering from that phase, he lost his mother during COVID. Now his father is alone, and it was his aim to look after his father because he's uh aging, and it he is the quintessential Shraan Kumar, and he is trying to take care of his ailing father.

"Now, he did have a medical condition as well. He had a vitamin B12 deficiency. Okay. Now that could happen to anybody.

"Lot of us undergoing medicals have all these kinds of, uh, deficiencies, and I don't see how that could be uh construed as a mental illness..."

Sam's statement during the interview with the journalist was published on YouTube by Mojo Story and touched people.

Watch the video below:

Captain's remarks about Sabharwal stir reactions

Legit.ng has compiled some reactions to the captain's remarks below:

@kiransharma3065 said:

"I am a mother of a pilot and very proud of him but must say that the management is never sympathetic towards the hardworking pilot's let's hope they will take care of the pilots we all depend on them may God give them strength my son was flying A380. God fulfilled my dream all the best to everyone."

@nika-pt2pl said:

"My heart breaks for Summit's father. It must be extremely hard to comprehend that there was a possibility he wanted to end it all. Mental issues amongst pilots are very common but sadly, they feel as if they can't ask for help because they are immediately grounded from performing their jobs."

@mnm9552 said:

"Only a best friend and colleague will be an up stander.

"Capt S seemed to be very focused in life and committed towards his aging father.

"People need to be mindful of their comments.

"Thank u."

@Dewdrops6546 said:

"Sincere apologies to captain Sumeet. May his soul rest in peace 😢❤ Thanks panel folks for enlightening the viewers about this gentleman."

@elenarogers5311 said:

"These comments from colleagues who genuinely knew Captain Sumeet are very convincing and very enlightening. No one should rush to conclusions before a thorough investigation is done. Thankyou for speaking out. As we know the media likes to create dramatic story lines. Blessings to Captain Sumeet's father and relatives in India. R.I.P. Captain! Prayers from Italy.❤🙏🙏🙏🙏 "

@happydach said:

"Sumeet was truly a lovely person... the fact that he was about to resign to take care of his father says it all..i mean very few people do that nowadays."

@japanmesmerises1384 said:

"Mam, I am not known to Captain Sumeet and Captain Clive. But I dont know why , I cried like I know both of them and they look so familiar and affectionate. I started thinking I would have seen them somewhere during brief trips abroad. So familiar. They have trust and professionalism written on their faces. How can people say such slanderous things abut them? Its heart breaking."

Air India pilot's house help speaks

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the house help at the residence of the late Air India pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, had disclosed what he told her before leaving for the flight.

She said Sabharwal never called her by her name, but just 'Beta' or 'Bacha.' She noted that he was very calm, reserved, and did not talk much. She said:

"He was very calm by nature. Doesn't talk much. He didn't speak about anything except about his child."

Source: Legit.ng