New Delhi: An Air India pilot, scheduled to fly to Seoul on Saturday, died at a hotel in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj on Friday evening.
The pilot, identified as Sunny Asaldekar, was originally from Mumbai. He was staying at the hotel during a layover, the airline said on Saturday, adding that it is extending all support to the family, as reported by Hindustan Times.
The pilot, who had moved to Air India recently, was found unconscious in his room by hotel staff. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The Delhi-Seoul flight, scheduled for early on Saturday morning, was to be his second for Air India. The pilot had earlier worked with Air India Express and moved to Air India a couple of months ago.
A heart attack is suspected to be the cause of death. Air India said it was “deeply saddened” by his passing and is in close touch with his family, extending all support to them at this time of grief.
The Delhi Police said a PCR call was received at PS Vasant Kunj North on Friday regarding the ill health of a guest at a hotel in Vasant Kunj. Police reached the spot and found the person unconscious and unresponsive, according to a statement shared by news agency ANI.
The man was shifted to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead, Delhi Police was quoted as saying.
The Crime Team was subsequently called to the spot. The deceased was working as a captain with an airline and had checked into the hotel on September 10, the police said.
“On the evening of September 11, his brother contacted the hotel manager and informed him that his brother was not responding to his calls. The manager went to the room, which was locked from the inside, and opened it with the hotel master key, where the deceased was found unconscious and unresponsive. The post-mortem examination was conducted at Safdarjung Hospital on September 12,” Delhi Police said.
The cause of death will be ascertained after the final opinion is received, the police said. Further inquiry is underway, and inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the BNSS are being conducted, they said.