Two Indian students were killed in a plane crash in Canada's Saskatchewan province on a flight-training-related tour that sent out a message from the Consulate General of India in Vancouver. The crash happened early on Friday (September 18, 2026) near Kisbey, Saskatchewan.
The victims were identified by the Indian Consulate as Manoj Sivakumar from Tamil Nadu and Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham from Puducherry. The consulate expressed condolences to their families and said it will be there to help, including for repatriating their bodies.
Cessna 172 Crashes Near Kisbey
According to CBC, a Cessna 172 aircraft operated by Harv's Air crashed near Kisbey during a cross-country flight.
The aircraft had flown from Regina to Steinbach, Manitoba via Carlyle, Saskatchewan. Two people were aboard the aircraft, which had been rented for a flight to help pilots accumulate hours toward their commercial pilot licences.
The aircraft was overdue after it failed to reach its destination. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada was notified at around 10:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time.
Search and Rescue Operation
The Canadian search and rescue teams were involved in finding the missing aircraft. A CC-138 Hercules aircraft from 435 Squadron arrived at the crash site at about 6 p.m. CDT, according to CBC.
Search and rescue technicians were then sent to the site. Both occupants were found dead.
After the search and rescue operation was completed, the investigation was transferred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Canadian authorities are investigating the crash.
Indian Consulate Expresses Condolences
The Consulate General of India in Vancouver confirmed the deaths in a statement posted on X on September 20, 2026, local time.
The consulate named Manoj Sivakumar and Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham and expressed deepest sympathy to their families and loved ones. It also said it is ready to provide all consular assistance in the repatriation of the bodies of the victims back to India.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the crash has not been established. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Transport Canada and the RCMP are working with Harv's Air as the investigation continues.
Such an incident has raised some of the risks involved in the training of aircraft and in cross-country aviation. But authorities have yet to reveal what caused the plane to crash.
And for the families of the two Indian students, the tragedy has brought an unexpected loss as Canadian and Indian authorities continue their processes following the accident.
