Actor Vikrant Massey has addressed the confusion surrounding reports that he lost a cousin in the tragic Air India plane crash that took place in Ahmedabad on Thursday. In a clarifying note, the 12th Fail actor stated that Clive Kunder, one of the deceased crew members, was not his cousin, but a close family friend.
Vikrant clears the air
Earlier in the day, Vikrant had shared an emotional Instagram Story mourning the loss of Clive, referring to him as the son of his “uncle” Clifford Kunder. This led several media outlets and social media users to believe that Clive was his cousin. However, on Thursday night, Vikrant returned to Instagram to clarify the misunderstanding.
He wrote, “Dear friends in the media and elsewhere, the unfortunately deceased Mr. Clive Kunder was not my cousin. The Kunders are our family friends. Request no more speculations and let the family and loved ones grieve in peace.”
Initial reaction post by Vikrant
In his earlier post, Vikrant had expressed his sorrow over the tragic incident and shared that the loss felt personal. “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 had written.
About the crash
The fatal crash involved an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, which went down shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Of the 242 people on board, only one person reportedly survived. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot in command, had issued a Mayday call just before the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that a formal investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in accordance with international aviation standards.