Just weeks after a Malayali pilot died in a mid-air collision in Canada’s Manitoba province, another Keralite has lost his life in a tragic plane crash near Deer Lake in Newfoundland.
Gautam Santhosh, a 27-year-old Malayali youth from Muttacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, was killed in an accident involving a commercial survey aircraft operated by Kisik Aerial Survey. He is the son of Santosh Kumar, an employee at the Law Academy and Sreekala, a senior official with a bank. The aircraft, a Piper PA-31 Navajo, crashed shortly after take-off from Deer Lake Regional Airport around 5.35 pm local time on Saturday, July 26. The pilot, a 54-year-old man, also died in the crash. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. NORKA authorities said that his family currently resides in Poojapura. The repatriation of the body is expected to take 10-15 days, officials said.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto confirmed the death of Gautam Santhosh in a post on X:
“With deep sorrow, we mourn the tragic passing of Mr. Gautam Santhosh, an Indian national, who lost his life in an accident involving a commercial survey aircraft near Deer Lake, Newfoundland. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time. The Consulate is in close contact with the bereaved family and local authorities in Canada to provide all necessary assistance and support.”
The crash forced the closure of the Trans-Canada Highway near the Deer Lake Airport for several hours as emergency services, including airport responders and fire rescue, rushed to the site. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed both occupants of the aircraft were dead.
Andrew Naysmith, owner of Kisik Aerial Survey based at Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, British Columbia, said the company was devastated by the loss.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the families of the deceased and their loved ones. No further details about the incident are available at this time,” he said in a statement.
The aircraft reportedly crashed about a kilometre south of the airport shortly after taking off. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has begun an investigation to determine the cause.
This incident comes just weeks after another Malayali, Sreehari, a native of Tripunithura in Kochi, died in a mid-air collision on July 8 in Manitoba. He was piloting a Cessna 172 during a training session at Harv’s Air flying school when it collided with a two-seater Cessna 152. The crash claimed the lives of both Sreehari and 20-year-old Canadian student Savannah Royes.
Gautam’s death marks the second fatal aviation incident involving Keralites in Canada this month.