New Delhi [India], Aug 9 (ANI): Air India Express employees paid tributes to co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar, who lost his life in the Kozhikode plane crash incident, here in Delhi on Sunday.

His mortal remains were brought from Kochi to the Delhi Airport at 2:25 am on Sunday, which are now being taken to his native place in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read | Kozhikode Plane Crash: Did 40 Passengers of The Air India Express IX 1344 Flight Test COVID-19 Positive? Fact-Check Debunks Fake News.

About 200 Air India members paid tributes to Kumar and observed two minutes of silence and prayed for the peace of departed officer.

"Our last conversation with Akhilesh was on Raksha Bandhan on a video call because the 'Rakhi' could not reach him. He was wearing a 'Kalava'. He was scheduled to come home on August 15, 16 but God has other wishes," Kumar's brother-in-law told ANI.

Also Read | Mohan Bhagwat On Two-Day Bhopal Visit From Tomorrow, Will Meet RSS Functionaries to Discuss COVID-19 Relief Work: Live News Breaking and Coronavirus Updates on August 8, 2020.

The Air India Express flight, which was part of the Vande Bharat Mission, had crash-landed at the Kozhikode airport yesterday leading to the death of 18 persons including the two pilots. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)