Wing Commander Deepak Vasant Sathe is among 18 people who lost their lives in the Kerala plane crash catastrophe that befell on Friday. At Kerala’s Kozhikode airport, an Air India Express flight carrying 190 people broke into pieces as it skidded off a tabletop runway due to heavy rain. The flight was missioned to bring Indians stranded in Dubai, due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis back to the country. The flight carried 184 passengers that included 10 children and 4 members of the cabin crew.
The two pilots who were present in the Air India Express flight IX-1344, Deepak Vasant Sathe and Akhilesh Kumar died in the plane crash on Friday. Wing Commander Deepak V Sathe flew planes for Air India formerly, as he was a decorated former Indian Air Force pilot. He was an award-winning pilot who flew planes for the forces before flying the Air India Express planes.
Reportedly, Sathe was experienced in flying Boeing 737 planes, he held a sword of honour from the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad. He was an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and an excellent Squash player. Reports say that Sathe was an established fighter pilot before he opted to become a commercial pilot. His co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar was recently married, it had just been a year to his marriage.
Also read: 19 people including both pilots dead in Kozhikode plane crash
Terrible news coming in that Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe, pilot of the #AirIndia flight, has died in today’s accident at Kozhikode. Am hearing he’s ex-IAF. Deepest condolences to his family. ?? pic.twitter.com/OLHHWlGTD3
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) August 7, 2020
Heartbreaking !
Deeply distressed to hear abt the #AirIndia tragedy at Kozhikode.
We lost ace pilot,our senior Wing Commander DV Sathe,Ex NDA, Sword of Honour,1984 commissioned,retired as an ace test Pilot..an inspirational figure in aviation industry.
Tribute ?ॐ शांति ? pic.twitter.com/nrBiiCiz4o— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) August 7, 2020
Also read: Air India plane crash probe: Two investigation teams leave for Kozhikode
Air India Express flight IX-1344 was a part of the Vande Bharat mission under which, Indians who are struck abroad are being brought back to India amid the coronavirus outbreak. As per the reports, a flight-tracking website stated that the pilots tried to land the aircraft several times on the tabletop runway, surrounded by deep gorges.
Also read: AI Express plane tried to land twice before crashing, says official
Bon voyage Captain DV Sathe
Wing Commander DV Sathe was a pilot in the IAF before he joined #AirIndia. One of the confirmed death report coming from tragic #KozhikodeAirCrash
RIP Sir. pic.twitter.com/JX1iINwiXt— Memesarelife (@_MemesAreLife59) August 7, 2020
Ex Nda 1980 batch, Sword of honour 58th course, commissioned in 1984 retired as an ace test Pilot. An inspiration to all. Rip Wing Commander DV Sathe?❤️ #airindia pic.twitter.com/JPj38WD4z3
— Kashish Chambyal (@KashishChambyal) August 7, 2020
