Grandfather rescued pilot from crash; grandson discovers jet 55 years later

Chennai: Chandru Devadass never thought that he'd find an aircraft, which had crashed into the sea in 1964.

The fisherman-turned-scuba diver on Sunday found an aircraft, which crashed 55 years ago in the sea. It was of an Indian Navy Hawker Sea Hawk fighter jet that carried aboard INS Vikrant in the 1960s. 

This aircraft had crashed into the Bay of Bengal somewhere in the east coast road, Chennai, by a young maintenance crew member. 

Pune-based retired Vice-Admiral Vinod Pasricha wrote about this tragic incident in his book 'Downwind Four Green' in 2010. He said the naval aircraft ordnance mechanic AS Gill on August 12, 1964, took the sea hawk out without permission, as reported by the TOI. Gill had dreams of joining the air force, but was rejected. 

Chandru's grandfather had reportedly rescued a young man in uniform.

Chandru's father Devadass said to the TOI that his father and others present in the shore were happy and excited because all of them received Rs 10 from the pilot for the first time. But later, they all had to return the money because the officers, who arrived to whisk the pilot away, took the money back from all there.  

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