Kozhikode, Aug 8 (UNI) Air India Express Limited on Saturday issued a statement on the two pilots who were killed when the plane crashed at Kozhikode International Airport while landing on Friday night and confirmed the number of fatalities at 18.
It said, the Commander of the ill fated aircraft IX-1344 Capt. Deepak Vasant Sathe was an experienced Boeing 737-800 aircraft pilot and had earlier also flown the Airbus A-310.
He had also won the sword of honour at the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad and was an accomplished fighter pilot before becoming a commercial pilot.
The statement said, the family of the deceased Commander Vasant Sathe has been duly escorted by the Angels of Air India and the Emergency Response Team from Mumbai to Calicut.
The family was escorted to the hospital where the mortal remains of the Captain were kept for post mortem.
As regards the family of the deceased co-pilot Capt. Akhilesh Kumar, they have already been escorted from Delhi to Calicut by Air India Express officials and Angels of Air India.
UNI CS 1525