Indian National Killed in Tragic Newfoundland Plane Crash

An Indian national, Gautam Santhosh, aged 27, was killed in a small plane crash near Deer Lake Regional Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, on Saturday evening, July 26, the Consulate General of India in Toronto confirmed. The Piper PA-31 Navajo, operated by Delta, British Columbia-based Kisik Aerial Survey Inc., crashed shortly after takeoff at 5:27 p.m. NT, about one kilometer south of the airport, during a local commercial survey flight.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that the crash involved two occupants: Santhosh, a technical expert from Kerala, and the 54-year-old pilot, both pronounced dead at the scene. The incident prompted the temporary closure of the Trans-Canada Highway to facilitate emergency response efforts. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is investigating the cause, with debris analysis ongoing at the forested crash site near Route 430.

The Indian Consulate expressed deep sorrow, stating, “We mourn the tragic passing of Mr. Gautam Santhosh and extend heartfelt condolences to his family. We are in close contact with the bereaved family and local authorities to provide all necessary assistance.” Kisik’s owner, Andrew Naysmith, called the loss “devastating,” withholding names but pledging full cooperation with the TSB investigation.

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Posts on X, including from @IndiainToronto and @PTI_News, reflected widespread condolences, with hashtags like #CanadaPlaneCrash trending. Some users, like @mathrubhumieng, noted Santhosh’s Kerala roots, while @NewsX mistakenly linked the crash to another incident involving a Kerala pilot. The crash, one of 12 aviation incidents in Canada this year per TSB data, has raised concerns about small aircraft safety, with no initial evidence of mechanical failure.

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