Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today announced that the state government has decided to accord a state funeral to Captain Deepak Sathe.
Sathe was the pilot-in-command of the ill-fated Air India Express flight, which overshot the tabletop runway on Friday night while landing at the Kozhikode airport in heavy rain, fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into two, killing 18 people, including both pilots. The plane, carrying 190 people, was a part of Vande Bharat Mission, which was bringing back Indians stranded overseas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thackeray took to Twitter and announced about the decision of Maharashtra state government. He wrote, "The State has decided to accord a state funeral to the late Wing Commander (Retd) Captain DV Sathe. His life has been one that shall inspire many more young pilots to achieve the Sword of Honour and command over the skies."
The Air India Express flight, with 190 people on board overshot the tabletop runway at Kozhikode airport on the night of August 7 while landing in heavy rain, fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into two, killing 18 people.
Captain Sathe, 58, who was the pilot-in-command and his co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar were among those who died in the incident.
Sathe was a former Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and had served at the force's flight testing establishment.
The mortal remains of Captain Sathe - were brought to Mumbai on August 9.
The body was flown from the Kochi International Airport to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and received by his colleagues, Air India officials and members of the aviation fraternity who paid tributes to him.
(With inputs from agencies)
