Kerala student among two killed in mid-air plane crash in Canada

Two student pilots were killed after their aircraft collided mid-air near Steinbach South Airport, about 60 km south of Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Tuesday morning.

The victims were identified as Sreehari Sukesh (23), a native of Tripunithura, Kochi, and Savanna May Royce (20), a Canadian national. The tragic crash occurred around 8:45 am local time during a routine training exercise.

Both students were enrolled at Harv’s Air, a well-known flight training school with campuses in Steinbach and St. Andrews. Sreehari was working toward his commercial pilot certification, while Savanna was pursuing a private pilot license.

“They were practicing their takeoffs and landings when the collision occurred,” said Adam Penner, owner of Harv’s Air, speaking to CityNews Montreal. He added, “There was some sort of communication issue where they weren’t seeing each other. They were on approach and they collided somewhere on the approach.” 

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that both pilots were flying solo in single-engine aircraft when they crashed in a field approximately 400 metres from the runway. One was flying a four-seater Cessna 172, and the other a two-seater Cessna 152, CBC News reported.

Emergency responders, including the police, fire department, and paramedics, rushed to the scene. Both pilots were pronounced dead on site.

A visibly emotional Penner told CTV News:“It’s devastating… very personal. This is our everyday kind of routine… [and it’s] very tough. It’s just kind of a small family here. The students are often from overseas, so they’re a close-knit group.”

According to Penner, Harv’s Air had never experienced a fatal crash in its 50-year history until now.

Sreehari, the son of Central Bank official Sukesh and Deepa, a UST Global employee, was described by those who knew him as focused and ambitious. Savanna's family told CBC News that she was following in her father's footsteps to become a pilot.

“Savanna’s faith and laughter will forever touch everyone who was lucky enough to have known her during her short life,” they said in a statement.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. While RCMP confirmed both deaths, they declined to release further victim details at a press conference, citing ongoing procedures.

A spokesperson said it's "too early" to rule out criminal charges but clarified, “The members are still on scene, so the investigation is ongoing… this is still evolving.”