Captain Deepak Sathe

Decorated Wing Commander of Indian Air Force Captain Deepak Sathe (58), had planned to pay a surprise visit on his mother’s birthday on Saturday in Nagpur.

Capt Sathe was the pilot of the ill-fated Air India Express aircraft, which was en route from Dubai to Calicut with over 190 passengers on board on Friday.

However, as destiny had it, Capt Sathe died in the air crash even before his mother could celebrate her 84th birthday with him.

A day after the air crash, on Saturday, Sathes nephew Dr Yashodhan Sathe told PTI, Today is the birthday of Capt Sathe’s mother. He had last met his parents in March and was constantly in touch with them over phone since then. They had last spoken a day before yesterday.

He added, Captain had told some of the relatives that if flights are available, he would pay a surprise visit to his mother on her birthday.

Sathe is survived by two sons ? Dhananjay who lives in Bengaluru and Shantanu who lives in USA ? and wife. Yashodhan said that his body was yet to be handed over to the family.

He said, Dhananjay lives in Bengaluru and he is trying to reach Kozhikode by road. His second son is in the USA and he won’t be able to come.

Yashodhan said, His wife and brother-in-law are in Kozhikode but the decision about where the last rites will be held is yet to be taken. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, we will not be able to go there.

While Capt Sathe was residing in Mumbai with his wife, his parents Neela and Vasant Sathe (retired colonel) have been residing in Nagpur.

The tearful mother said that his son had asked her not to step out of the house due to COVID-19 pandemic. She said that her son would often tell her if anything happened to her, he’d feel bad.