New Delhi: A 28-year-old pilot of the Air India Express, who had recently got married, died of a cardiac arrest shortly after landing a Srinagar-Delhi flight on Wednesday evening.
The young pilot reportedly puked inside the cockpit after completing the landing. The deceased has been identified as Armaan, reported PTI.
The airlines confirmed the tragic news: "We deeply regret the loss of a valued colleague due to a medical condition. Our thoughts are with the family during this time of profound grief. We are extending all possible assistance to them as we all cope with this tremendous loss."
The Tata group-owned airline confirmed that the pilot was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
The airline further said, "We request all concerned to respect privacy at this time and avoid unnecessary speculation while we commit to assisting the relevant authorities in due process," the spokesperson added.
DGCA New Reforms
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) India’s aviation regulator, earlier in the year proposed a new, phased roadmap to introduce stricter limits on when and how long pilots can fly in order to minimise fatigue among air crew in a submission to Delhi high court.
DGCA's roadmap, submitted to the Delhi high court, proposes increasing pilots’ weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours starting July 1, 2025, and phasing in reduced night flying from November 1, 2025, as part of relaxed duty norms for cockpit crew.
DGCA in its affidavit before the High Court, said that of the 22 proposed clauses pertaining to Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL), 15 would be implemented from July 1, 2025, while the remaining seven would be rolled out from November 1, 2025.
