Two Indian students die in Canada flight training crash; consulate vows help to families
Two Indian students have died in an air accident in Canada while undergoing flight training, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver said on Sunday.
The students were Manoj Sivakumar, a resident of Tamil Nadu, and Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham, from Puducherry. Both were enrolled in pilot training at the time of the accident.
Announcing the deaths in a post on X, the consulate said: “The Consulate General of India, Vancouver, expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of Shri Manoj Sivakumar and Shri Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham, two Indian students from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, who lost their lives in a tragic air accident in Canada during their flight training.”
The consulate added: “Our heartfelt sympathies are with their bereaved families and loved ones during this difficult time. The Consulate stands ready to extend all possible consular assistance to the families in connection with the repatriation of the mortal remains to India. May the departed souls rest in peace.”
The statement did not specify where in Canada the accident took place, the type of aircraft involved, the number of people on board, or whether the flight was a solo training sortie or one flown with an instructor. No further details about the circumstances have been released so far. The consulate's message is the only official word on the incident at the time of writing.
Indian diplomatic missions abroad are usually the first point of contact for families when an Indian national dies overseas. Consular assistance in such cases generally covers help with local paperwork, liaison with authorities in the host country, and arrangements for bringing the mortal remains back to India. This is the assistance the Vancouver consulate has said it will provide to both families.
Canada is among the destinations chosen by Indian students for flight training. Its flight schools enrol international students every year, and the course typically combines classroom instruction with flying hours towards licences such as the Commercial Pilot Licence. Training and living costs abroad can run into lakhs of rupees, and students often spend two to three years completing the requirements.
India is among the largest sources of international students in Canada, though the overwhelming majority are enrolled in universities and colleges rather than flight schools. Pilot training remains a smaller, specialised pathway chosen by a limited number of students each year.
Flight training carries inherent risk, since students fly early in their learning curve and accumulate hours in varied weather conditions. In Canada, aviation accidents are investigated by the Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency.
There was no immediate information about when the mortal remains would be flown home, or about the funeral arrangements being made by the two families. The consulate said it would assist the families in connection with the repatriation.
