Sunjay Kapur has died at the age of 53.

The Indian-born billionaire was chairman of auto components maker Sona Comstar and passed away on Thursday (June 12), the same day an Air India flight carrying over 200 people crashed in the city of Ahmedabad.

Kapur’s final social media post was paying tribute to those who had died. He wrote on the day in question: “Terrible news of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected. May they find strength in this difficult hour.”

Kapur, a keen polo player, is believed to have been playing the sport in Windsor, UK, when he allegedly swallowed a bee.

It’s thought that this then sparked the 53-year-old — who is said to be friends with Prince William — to go into anaphylactic shock.

Sunjay Kapur, pictured with his wife Priya Sachdev, has died at the age of 53 (priyasachdevkapur/Instagram)

Per Mayo Clinic, anaphylactic shock is ‘a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction’.

“It can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something you’re allergic to, such as peanuts or bee stings,” the website adds. If this isn’t treated immediately, it can prove fatal.

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include skin reactions; low blood pressure; constriction of a person’s airways; a weak and rapid pulse; as well as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Tributes have been rolling in for Kapur in the wake of his sudden passing. His business, Sona Comstar, said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the sudden demise of our Chairman, Mr Sunjay Kapur. He was a visionary leader whose passion, insight and dedication shaped the identity and success of our company.”

The late billionaire was a keen polo player (Qamar Sibtain/The India Today Group via Getty Images)

Elsewhere, someone close to Kapur told The Telegraph how missed he will be.

“He will be greatly missed not only by his family and friends but the local community around his club as he employed so many people and made so many friends – he was fun, kind and generous,” they shared.

“He didn’t distinguish between his grooms or high net worth friends – when he had a party, everyone was invited and everyone was equal.”

The billionaire was married to model Priya Sachdev at the time of his death. He’d previously been married to Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor, whom he shared two children with. He also shared a child with wife Sachdev, says Forbes.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.

The Air India plane that plummeted to the earth with 242 people on board has sparked a lot of questions.

On June 12, an Air India flight left Ahmedabad and was heading for London Gatwick before it suddenly started to fall out of the sky.

Video footage has shown the rapid descent of the plane and upon impact, there was a massive explosion, and plume of smoke was seen rising into the sky.

According to the airline, there were 242 passengers and crew members on board.

Air India added: “Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals.”

Authorities have confirmed that the plane crash landed only four miles away from the airport after only reaching a height of around 625 feet.

The plane crash landed a few miles from the airport only minuntes after takeoff (Siddharaj Solanki/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

There have also been reports of one sole survivor from the plane crash, who is still currently in hospital.

An investigation has been launched into what caused the tragedy, but an aviation expert has weighed in on the potential issues that may have arisen.

Former British Airways pilot Alastair Rosenschein spoke to Sky News after analyzing footage of the plane crash.

Rosenschein pointed out some clear issues that he says may have contributed to the plane failing to take off properly.

He said: “It’s clearly got its [landing] gear down and that is not correct… it should have been up. And from the video… it’s not immensely clear… but it does look like the aircraft didn’t have its take-off flap setting.”

The expert emphasized the importance of the wing flaps and how they need to be set correctly to extend the shape of each wing and ultimately give the plane the extra lift needed at lower speeds to take off and climb.

He did note that, at this time, he is only speculating that this could have been a factor.

Authorities are currently still investigating the cause of the plane crash and have not released an official statement on the root cause.

Aurthorities are currently investigating the cause of the crash (Siddharaj Solanki/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He added: “[This] could explain why the aircraft came down [as the] aircraft would not have been able to maintain flight.

“The video is not that clear, but it [the flaps setting] doesn’t look right to me.

“The altitude of the aircraft isn’t right either and the aircraft seems to be descending rather than climbing.

“It does look like it’s an aerodynamic issue because of not having the right flaps setting on take-off.”

His comments come after authorities have revealed the alleged final words of the pilot who was flying the plane.

The captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, called out down his radio: “Mayday […] no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.”

Sabharwal reportedly had 22 years worth of experience and had raked up 8,200 hours in the air.

The tragedy of the Air India crash still leaves many questions unanswered, but what the pilot reportedly said before the disaster has been revealed.

An Air India flight crashed just minutes after taking off from India’s Ahmedabad Airport on Thursday (June 12).

The AI 171 flight was on its way to London Gatwick and was expected to touch down in the UK at 6:25 pm local time.

However, the flight would only reach about 625 feet in the air before plummeting to the ground four miles away from the airport runway.

According to the airline, there were 242 passengers and crew members on board. Air India added: “Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals.”

Emergency services rushed to the scene after the crash (Photo by SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images)

There was reportedly only one survivor from the plane crash, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai, 265 bodies have so far been recovered – including people who died on the ground – but this number may increase as rescue efforts continue.

The exact cause of the crash is currently being investigated, and more details are expected to come out over the coming days.

The two pilots flying the plane have been identified as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder.

India’s aviation regulator said the aircraft gave a mayday call to air traffic control. However, there was no response from the plane after that.

The captain reportedly called out on his radio: “Mayday […] no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.”

It’s believed that the pair of pilots then attempted to get control of the plane as it sank through the air before crashing into a medical college hostel.

The Chairman of Air India, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, has also released a lengthy statement and offered his condolences, while saying the incident was a ‘tragic accident’.

The cause of the crash is currently being investigated (Siddharaj Solanki/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He said: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight, AI171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.

“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.

“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families.”

UNILAD has contacted Gatwick Airport for comment.

Some 48 hours on from the Air India tragedy, more information about the deceased and the families they’ve left behind is coming to light.

The flight in question was carrying over 200 people at the time of the crash, in which only one passenger survived.

Meanwhile, those on the ground have also been affected by the tragedy. As of today (June 14), 29 people that were on the ground have died, making the total death toll 270, Sky News reports.

One man to have died on the plane was 37-year-old British national Arjun Patoliya.

Arjun had been visiting India to fulfil his late wife Bharti’s final wish to scatter her ashes in her hometown of Gujarat. She died just two weeks ago ‘after a courageous battle with cancer‘.

An Air India plane crash as claimed the lives of nearly 300 people (Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images)

But the Patoliya family are now facing a double tragedy as Arjun has been named as one of the 270 people who died in Thursday’s plane crash, leaving his and Bharti’s two daughters, ages just four and eight, orphaned.

In the wake of their heartbreak, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money to go towards Arjun and Bharti’s children’s futures.

“In a span of just 18 days, two young sisters — only 4 and 8 years old — have lost both of their beloved parents,” the heartbreaking bio of the fundraiser reads.

“Their mother, Bharti Patoliya, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Fulfilling her final wish, her husband, Arjun Patoliya, travelled to India to scatter her ashes in her homeland in Gujarat. But on his journey home to their daughters, tragedy struck again — Arjun was among those lost in the Air India Flight Tragedy in June 2025, shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad.

“Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised. Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks.”

Two young girls have been left without a mom and a dad after Thursday’s crash (GoFundMe)

The page has a target of £500,000 [$678,250], all of which ‘will go directly to a legal trust or the appointed guardians to ensure every penny is dedicated to the girls’ needs’.

At the time of writing, over £333,000 has been raised for the two young girls, with some people having already donated thousands of pounds individually. One anonymous donator has put £5,000 into the fundraiser.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.