Co-Pilot had a pulse, tried hard to revive him: Rescue volunteer

Asif Kondotty, a volunteer, who was engaged in rescue operations at Calicut International airport said Co-Pilot Akhilesh Kumar had a pulse when he found him. However, Kumar succumbed to his injuries later at the hospital.

Malappuram: Asif Kondotty, a rescue volunteer, who saved five lives during the rescue operations from the site of the flight crash at Calicut International Airport on Friday night, says the young Co-Pilot Akhilesh Kumar had a pulse when Asif stepped into the cockpit and checked on him.

Talking to ETV Bharat reporter, Asif Kondotty, a member of Taluk Disaster Response Force (TDRF), recounted his experiences during the rescue operations at the plane crash site. Asif said, he learnt about the accident immediately from his friends and reached the spot within 10 minutes. The sight of the aircraft broken into two pieces was shocking. The kids and women were heard screaming for help from within the split plane. He began rescue efforts right from the cockpit, without wasting any time.

All the locals who had gathered joined the rescue efforts and started sending the injured to hospitals in the available vehicles and taxis even before the Disaster response teams and the ambulances arrived.

“When I checked the pilot's (Captain Deepak V Sathe) pulse, I could not feel any. He had died already. Though the Co-Pilot (Akhilesh Kumar) was severely injured, I found a pulse when I checked. All attempts were taken to revive him and he was rushed to the hospital immediately," Asif said.

However, Co-Pilot Akhilesh Kumar succumbed to his injuries later at the hospital.

Asif thanked God for enabling him to save five lives from the accident, including that of three children. Asif’s friends Jasir Javad, Jazir and Siddique were also involved in the rescue actively. It was in their vehicles that the injured were shifted to the hospital initially. Asif also expressed his respect and gratitude to all the good samaritans of the locality who joined the rescue operations braving all challenges- the COVID transmission scare and the heavy rains.

The immediate response to the accident by the locals and volunteers who joined hands with the NDRF personnel and the rescue teams have definitely helped save many lives. The combined efforts of all who were involved to save lives, with just humanity in their minds, reduced the gravity of the plane crash, said Asif.