TORONTO/STEINBACH, July 10 — An Indian student pilot, Sreehari Sukesh, was among two people killed in a tragic mid-air collision between two training aircraft in Manitoba province of Canada, the Consulate General of India in Toronto confirmed on Wednesday.
The crash occurred on Tuesday morning near the town of Steinbach, around 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg. Both victims were student pilots enrolled at Harv’s Air, a local flying school known for training domestic and international aviation aspirants.
The other victim was identified as 20-year-old Savanna May Royes, a Canadian national who, according to her family, had long aspired to become a pilot like her father. “She always dreamed of flying,” the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.
The collision took place while the two single-engine planes were practising takeoffs and landings near a local landing strip, said Harv’s Air president Adam Penner. “They were both approaching the same strip. It’s a devastating day for all of us,” he told CBC.
Emergency services, including personnel from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), local fire departments, and EMS, rushed to the crash site following reports of an explosion and visible smoke. Both pilots were pronounced dead at the scene. No passengers were on board either aircraft.
“We heard a loud bang and saw a pillar of black smoke,” said Nathaniel Plett, a resident near the flying school. “Then, shortly after, another explosion followed. We immediately knew it was a crash.”
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada, which is tasked with investigating aviation accidents, has launched a probe into the incident. “We are gathering information and assessing the circumstances of the fatal mid-air collision,” the agency said in a statement.
The Indian Consulate in Toronto expressed condolences to Sukesh’s family and said it was working closely with local authorities and the flying school. “We are in contact with the bereaved family, the pilot training school, and the local police to provide all necessary assistance,” the consulate stated.
Sreehari Sukesh’s age and background details were not released, but he was reportedly in the advanced stages of his flight training at the time of the incident.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through both the Indian and Canadian aviation training communities. With increasing numbers of Indian students pursuing pilot training abroad, the crash has also renewed calls for reviewing safety protocols at private flight schools.
Investigators are expected to examine communication records, flight paths, and training protocols to determine whether procedural lapses contributed to the accident. In the meantime, Harv’s Air has temporarily suspended all training operations.
Funeral and repatriation arrangements are underway for both victims, as their families mourn the sudden and devastating loss.
