Sukhoi-30 jet crash: Mortal remains of Achudev brought to Kerala

The mortal remains of Flight Lieutenant S Achudev, the Kerala-based IAF pilot killed in the Sukhoi-30 jet crash,  has been brought to his house in
Thiruvananthapuram.

Achudev's body was brought to the capital in a special aircraft and then by road in an army vehicle to his residence at Sreekariyam. Several Air Force and Army officials and ministers including Kadakampally Surendran arrived to pay tribute to him.

Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan is scheduled to pay his last respects later on Friday, before Achudev's body is sent to his native place in Kozhikode.

Achudev is a native of Pantheerankavu in Kozhikode and the son of Sahadevan and Jayasree from Vallikunnuparambil. Sahadevan is a retired ISRO employee and the family currently resides in Thiruvananthapuram.

Also read: Sukhoi-30 jet crash: Pilots Achudev, Pankaj failed to eject on time

Meanwhile, the mortal remains of Squadron Leader Divesh Pankaj, the other pilot who died in the crash, was cremated in Tezpur on Thursday. 

After IAF officials paid their last respects to the two pilots at the Tezpur Air Force base in Salonibari, Pankaj's remains were cremated at Parua near the Tezpur police station, defence spokesman Lt Col Sombit Ghosh said. 

The family - his parents, younger brother, wife Richa and two-year-old daughter - were present at the Air Force base. Pankaj's younger brother performed the last rites in the presence of IAF and Army officials. The officials handed over Pankaj's official documents wrapped in the tricolour to his wife. 

Also read: Sukhoi-30 jet crash: Bodies of missing pilots found

Talking to the media, KVR Raju, the Air Officer Commanding of Tezpur station, said the black box of the crashed Sukhoi-30 has been sent for examination to find out why both pilots were unable to eject on time. 

The bodies of the two pilots were recovered on Wednesday from the crash site in dense forest area on hills in Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, eight days after the Sukhoi-30 jet had gone missing on May 23, approximately 60 kms from Tezpur air base.

(with PTI inputs)

• indian air force
• sukhoi fighter jet
• missing pilot