Canada Flight Training Tragedy: 2 Indian Students Killed In Air Accident

Two Indian students from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have died in an air accident in Canada while undergoing flight training, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver said.

The deceased were identified as Manoj Sivakumar from Tamil Nadu and Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham from Puducherry. The Indian mission confirmed their deaths in a post on X on Sunday, expressing condolences to their families and loved ones.

“The Consulate General of India, Vancouver, expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of Shri Manoj Sivakumar and Shri Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham,” the mission said, adding that the two students had lost their lives in a tragic air accident during flight training in Canada.

The consulate said it was ready to provide all possible consular assistance to the bereaved families, including help with the repatriation of the students’ mortal remains to India.

“Our heartfelt sympathies are with their bereaved families and loved ones during this difficult time,” it said.

Details surrounding the crash, including its exact location and cause, were not immediately available from the Indian mission. Canadian media have separately reported a small-aircraft crash near Kisbey in Saskatchewan involving two pilots who were building flying hours towards their commercial pilot licences, but reports have cautioned that it has not been independently established that the incident was the same accident involving the two Indian students.

According to Canadian reports, the aircraft in that incident was a Cessna 172 operated by Manitoba-based Harv’s Air and was reported overdue before search-and-rescue teams located it. However, further details linking that crash specifically to Sivakumar and Thirugnanasambantham remain subject to confirmation.

The deaths have brought renewed attention to the risks involved in flight training, while the Indian consulate is coordinating with the families on the next steps and arrangements to bring the mortal remains back to India.