Air India pilot dies after showing signs of discomfort during training session

New Delhi, November 16

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A senior Air India pilot died on Thursday morning after showing signs of discomfort during a training session at the Delhi airport, according to officials.The pilot appears to have suffered a cardiac arrest, they added.

The officials said that Himmanil Kumar, who was in his 30s, was at a training session at the operations department of Air India at Terminal 3 of the airport. Suddenly, he started showing signs of discomfort and colleagues tried to assist him. He was taken to a hospital at the airport but passed away despite efforts to revive him, the officials said.

Kumar, a senior commander, was undergoing conversion training whereby pilots flying narrow body aircraft are trained to operate wide-body planes.

He started training from October 3 for transition to operating Boeing 777 aircraft from A320 aircraft, they added.

One of the officials said the airline is extending all possible assistance to the family and that the father of the deceased was a senior commander at the airline.

A regulatory official in the know said Kumar underwent his medicals on August 23 and was declared fit.

There is no fatigue-related issue with respect to flying duties and after leaves, Kumar resumed training on Thursday.

All his past medical assessments were fine with no detected underlying medical conditions, the official added.

There was no immediate statement from Air India.