Who Is Sreehari Sukesh, The Pilot From Kerala Killed During Midair Crash In Canada?
Indian student pilot Sreehari Sukesh, 21 died in a midair collision in Manitoba, Canada.
An Indian student pilot, 21-year-old Sreehari Sukesh, was tragically killed in a midair collision between two training aircraft in southern Manitoba, Canada. The crash, which occurred just 400 metres from the runway at Steinbach South Airport, also claimed the life of his classmate, Savanna May Royes, a 20-year-old Canadian national.
Sreehari Sukesh, originally from Kerala, was pursuing his dream of becoming a commercial pilot and had already earned his private pilot's license. He was undergoing advanced training at Harv's Air, a well-known flight school in the region, which trains over 400 students a year from across the world. The Indian Consulate in Toronto confirmed the tragedy, expressing deep sorrow over the loss.
'With profound sorrow, we mourn the tragic passing of Mr. Sreehari Sukesh, a young Indian student pilot," the Consulate said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), adding, 'We extend our deepest condolences to his family and are in contact with the bereaved family, the pilot training school and local police to provide all necessary assistance."
The accident occurred as both student pilots were practicing takeoffs and landings in separate Cessna single-engine aircraft. According to Adam Penner, president of Harv's Air and son of its founders, it appears the two aircraft were attempting to land simultaneously and collided just short of the small runway.
While the planes were equipped with radios, initial reports suggest neither pilot saw the other in time to avoid the crash. There were no passengers on board either aircraft. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) pronounced both pilots dead at the scene. The cause of the collision is under investigation by Canadian aviation authorities.
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First Published:
July 10, 2025, 17:29 IST
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