AI security official set to work on Vande Bharat flights dies

A 55-year-old security official employed with Air India succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday. The deceased tested positive on May 25 during his pre-medical test done

A 55-year-old security official employed with Air India succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday. The deceased tested positive on May 25 during his pre-medical test done before clearance to operate Vande Bharat mission flights to repatriate Indians stranded in foreign countries. He was supposed to be on flights AI 1969 and AI 1970 on the Delhi-Cairo-Delhi sector on May 29.

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He was admitted to BL Kapoor Hospital in New Delhi after he was found to be positive for Covid-19. Senior officials of the national carrier said he was on ventilator support for the past few days.

The official breathed his last on Monday and his body was released from the hospital on Tuesday morning, following which his cremation rituals were carried out.

An airline official said, “The 55-year-old official was down with fever and had applied for leave when he was posted in the cargo section. His leaves, however, were not approved by his seniors.” A comment from Air India was awaited till the time of going to press.

Earlier on June 5, a 58-year-old Air India pilot, who retired in April this year, died due to suspected Covid-19 infection.

On May 31, an Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow with no passenger on-board was asked to return midway after it was realised that one of the pilots of the plane had tested positive.

Earlier in May, Air India’s Delhi office was sealed after one of the staff members tested positive for Covid-19.