2 Indian trainee pilots among 3 people killed in small plane crash in Canada
Toronto: Two trainee pilots from India are among three persons killed when a small plane crashed in Canada's British Columbia province, according to media reports.
Abhay Gadru and Yash Ramugade, both 25, from Mumbai, were in the small twin-engine light aircraft - a piper PA-34 Seneca - which crashed on Friday near the local airport in Chilliwack city, about 100 km east of Vancouver.
The plane crashed behind a motel near the airport, killing the pilot and everyone on board, Sgt. Pete Healey from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was quoted as saying by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Gadru moved to Canada three years ago to complete pilot training and was expected to graduate in November, his cousin Sdradha Trisal was quoted as saying by the Vancouver Sun newspaper on Saturday.
“He was such a pure soul. I can’t believe he’s gone and I’m just left with memories now,” Trisal said.
A total of three people were killed in the plane crash.
The report said that Gadru’s sibling Chirag, who also lives in the British Columbia province, is trying to send back his brother’s remains to their parents in India.
Meanwhile, CTV News Vancouver, a Canadian news portal, said that the second person among the three killed was Yash Ramugude, who also hailed from Mumbai.
While details about Gadru were given, there was not much information about Ramugade in the Canadian media reports.
The registration number on the plane's tail indicates the aircraft, which appeared badly damaged, is a Piper PA-34 Seneca owned by SkyQuest Aviation, a flight school based in Langley. It was built in 1972.
“We’re looking into it but we’re not issuing any statements. There is nothing we can say at this time,” an employee, who works as an administrator at SkyQuest Aviation, said on condition of anonymity.
The reports did not identify the pilot of the small plane.
It is still unknown what caused the twin-engined light aircraft to crash, the CBC report said.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it's sending investigators, it said.
