Kozhikode crash: AI Express employees pay tribute to fallen co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar

Air India Express employees paid tribute to fallen co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar in Delhi.

Akhilesh lost his life with 17 others in Kozhikode plane crash.

The body of the deceased was brought to Delhi from Kochi.

Around 200 AI Express employees paid tribute to the fallen co-pilot.

"Our last conversation with him was on Rakshabandhan.

We connected over a video call.

We were supposed to meet on around August 15-16," said Akhilesh Kumar's Brother-in-law, Vijay.

Akhilesh's mortal remains were taken to his native place in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura.

"Wife and mother of the pilot are unwell.

We set up a medical team and got checkups done," said Dr Bhudev, District Hospital, Mathura.

An AI Express plane overshot the runway on August 7.

The aircraft fell into a valley where it split into two pieces.

At least 18 people, including the pilots, were killed.

There were 190 people onboard the Vande Bharat flight.

The flight was bringing back Indians stranded in Dubai due to Covid-19 pandemic.