Minutes before flight to Pune, Indigo pilot collapses at Nagpur boarding gate, dies

An Indigo pilot collapsed at the boarding gate at Nagpur airport this morning, just minutes before he was about to take off for Pune. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

What

The Indigo captain had operated two sectors yesterday, August 16, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. 

• Trivandrum-Pune-Nagpur, in the early morning hours between 3 am and 7 am.
• The pilot had had 27 hours of rest, said the DGCA.
• The pilot was scheduled to fly four sectors today, with departure at 1 pm, said the DGCA.
• The Nagpur to Pune flight was supposed to be the first sector for the pilot today.

Indigo statement

In a statement to the media, Indigo said, "We are saddened at the passing of one of our pilots in Nagpur earlier today. He took unwell at Nagpur airport and was rushed to the hospital where he unfortunately passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones."

Two deaths this week

The death of the Indigo captain comes just a day after a Qatar Airways pilot suffered a heart attack onboard the flight. The pilot was in the passenger cabin, as extra crew, when he had the heart attack.

Indigo fleet and pilots

As of 2021, Indigo had 3,734 pilots on its roll. The airline currently has a fleet size touching 320. 

ALSO READ: What is pilot fatigue, behind the Indigo flight delays of late?