An Air India pilot died after being found unconscious in his hotel room in Vasant Kunj, Delhi, during a scheduled layover on September 11. The Mumbai-based captain was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. He had been scheduled to operate a flight the following morning.
The pilot, identified in reports as Captain Sunny Asaldekar, had previously worked with Air India Express and had joined Air India a few months earlier. He was reportedly undergoing conversion training to operate Boeing 787 aircraft.
According to Delhi Police, his brother contacted the hotel manager after he stopped responding to calls. The room was locked from inside and was opened using a master key, after which the pilot was found unconscious. A crime team inspected the scene, and a post-mortem was conducted at Safdarjung Hospital on September 12.
Police said the exact cause of death is yet to be established and will be determined after the final medical opinion. An inquest proceeding under Section 194 of the BNSS is underway, while Air India said it was deeply saddened by the loss and is providing all possible support to his family.