Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe Funeral: Maharashtra Govt to Accord State Funeral to Late Wing Commander Who Died in Air India Express Plane Crash in Kozhikode

Mumbai, August 11: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced that late Wing Commander(Retd) Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe will be accorded a state funeral. Wing Commander(Retd) Capt DV Sathe died on August 7, after Kozhikode-bound Air India Express flight crash-landed at Calicut airport.

Informing about the state government's decision, the Maharashtra CMO took to Twitter and 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." Air India Express Plane Crash: Captain Deepak Sathe Survived Air Crash in 1990s, but Returned to Flying.

Here's what Maharashtra CMO said:

Captain Sathe, along with his co-pilot Akhilesh were among those 18 who died in the incident. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that 23 passengers, who were hospitalised after the Air India Express flight crash on August 7, are in critical condition. Adding more, the CM mentioned that three have been put under ventilator while 81 are recovering. The Kerala CM has also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of the kin of deceased passenger.

It is to be known that Captain Sathe was a former Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and had served at the force's flight testing establishment. Captain Sathe was flying the Dubai-Kozhikode Aire India Express which was part of Vande Bharat Mission. He was earlier awarded 'Sword of Honour' and had served Indian Air Force for 21 years before joining as a Commercial Pilot with Air India in 2005. He used to stay in Nahar Amrit Shakti housing complex in Chandivali in Mumbai with his wife Sushma for nearly 15 years.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2020 08:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).