Aspiring Kochi pilot's life cut short in Canada plane crash

Time of India

10-07-2025

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Kochi: Dreamed of becoming a pilot since childhood, Sreehari Sukesh used to surf the internet for the adventurous flying experiences of professional pilots and the operational details of warplanes.
He strived earnestly towards his goal and obtained a licence to fly private aircraft from Nashik by the time he left for Canada two years ago to pursue advanced training in commercial aviation. He was close to completing the mandatory 180 flying hours at Harv's Air flight training school in Steinbach when fate dashed his hopes and cut short his life.
The 23-year-old, hailing from Tripunithura in Ernakulam, was among the two — the other a fellow student of the same flying school — who lost their lives after their training aircraft collided mid-air while trying to land near Steinbach South Airport, about 60km south of Winnipeg, in Canada on Tuesday morning.
Sreehari and Canadian May Royce, 20, reportedly were flying single-engine aircraft.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Manitoba confirmed that "the mid-air collision occurred at 8.45am and the two pilots were pronounced deceased on scene."
"The incident occurred during a training exercise for take-offs and landings, in which it is not uncommon for students to fly on their own. The pilots were trying to land their planes — a Cessna 172 and Cessna 152 — at the same time, before they crashed near a landing strip," Harv's Air owner Adam Penner told reporters.
Sreehari's family received the information regarding the accident on Tuesday night but the official confirmation from his trainer arrived only by Wednesday afternoon. "Since we are unfamiliar with the technical aspects of the training, we still don't know what exactly led to the accident," said Sreehari's uncle Dipesh.
Dipesh said the "experience at the Nashik flying school had thrilled Sreehari" while his schoolmate Gokul K said "his basic nature was to face adventurous moments with extraordinary boldness."
The Indian consulate in Canada promised assistance to Sreehari's family. "With profound sorrow, we mourn the tragic passing of Sreehari Sukesh, a young Indian student pilot, who lost his life in a mid-air collision near Steinbach, Manitoba. We extend our deepest condolences to his family. The consulate is in contact with the bereaved family, the pilot training school, and local police to provide all necessary assistance," the consulate said in an X post.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden has approached the ministry of external affairs demanding urgent intervention for the repatriation of Sreehari's mortal remains. Sreehari is survived by his father Sukesh, mother Deepa and sister Samyuktha.