Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe’s remains flown into Mumbai, last rites on Tuesday – Times of India

MUMBAI: The mortal remains of Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe, the commanding pilot of the ill-fated Air India Express Dubai-Kozhikode flight which crashed at Karipur airport in Kerala, were flown to Mumbai on Sunday in an Indigo flight.
His family, including his wife, younger son Dhananjay, sister and other relatives, travelled by another flight from Kozhikode to Mumbai. Pilots and senior officers of Air India paid their respects to Captain Sathe at gate 5 of the international airport.
The pilot’s body was then taken to Bhabha Hospital morgue where it will be kept till Tuesday. His older son, Shantanu, who works at Amazon, will fly in from Seattle on Monday. Captain Sathe’s cremation will take place on Tuesday.
“There is a small pooja at home on Tuesday after Captain Sathe’s mortal remains are brought home from the morgue by the Air India Express team,” said a family friend. Due to the rains, residents are seeking permission to keep his body in the auditorium of Nahar International School where people can come to pay their last respects. “The family has received calls that some dignitaries, senior defence officers and course-mates are planning to visit to offer condolences. On Sunday, his wife Sushma’s elderly father and sister arrived from Pune. Keeping in mind the Covid situation and the presence of a senior citizen at home, the family has requested curbs on the number of visitors,” said another friend who resides in the building.
“To keep a check on the number of people, we have floated a Google form among residents of Nahar Zinnia building and also kept a book for anyone who may want to pass on their condolences to the family. It will be later handed over to Captain Sathe’s wife,” said a family friend who is helping co-ordinate the final rites.
The Indian Air Force will send a small contingent of officers to pay tributes and also help conduct the last rites as per protocol. The cremation will take place at Edwardnagar crematorium in Vikhroli East. On Sunday, a local MLA visited the grieving family to offer condolences.
At the airport on Sunday afternoon, Air India pilots and officers paid homage to Captain Sathe and assured his family of support. “It is a huge Air India Express family and anything that you may require, we are there for you. We have had a beautiful association with Captain Sathe and we are going to miss him,” said Harpreet A De Singh, chief of air safety, Air India.