Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Aug 9: Captain Deepak Vasanth Sathe, pilot of the ill-fated Air India Express flight that crashed at Karipura airport in Kozhikode on Friday evening, had served for 15 months as pilot in the Air India's base in Mangaluru during 2015-16.

Capt Sathe used to reside in an apartment near Kadri Park, along with his wife, during that period. He had made several friends in the city during his stay. Residents of the apartments where Capt Sathe resided recall that the veteran pilot was known for his simplicity and amiable personality. He was cordial with everyone in the building, they said.

Recalling his association with Capt Deepak Sathe, real estate businessman Lancelot Saldanha said, "Sathe was an able and experienced pilot. He was a very disciplined person and had served in Indian Air Force also."

G B Atri, retired wing commander of IAF recalls that Sathe had worked with him during 1988-90. Atri said that Sathe's last-moment decision to turn off the engines prevented the aircraft from catching fire and saved the lives of 180 passengers.

Hundreds of passengers would have burnt alive in the Calicut air crash if pilot Capt Sathe had not made a critical last moment decision. But his years of experience helped him hold his nerves. When he realized that the situation was out of control, he put off the engines of the aircraft and thereby prevented the aircraft from catching fire when it crashed down the gorge and broke into pieces.

Capt Sathe's presence of mind could not save him, but his bravery has earned him accolades throughout the country on social and electronic media.

Deepak Nilesh Sathe, a relative of Capt Sathe, in an emotional Facebook post has written, "He called me just a week before and was jovial, as always. When I asked him about the 'Vande Bharat' Mission, he was proud of bringing back our countrymen from Arab countries. I asked him,"Dipak, do you carry empty Aircraft since those countries are not allowing entry of passengers?" He had replied," Oh, No. We carry fruits, vegetables,medicines etc to these countries and never the aircraft flies to these countries empty." That was my last conversation with him.."

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