India's Vancouver Consulate condoles death of students from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry in Canada air accident

Vancouver: The Consulate General of India in Vancouver on Sunday (local time) expressed condolences over the death of two Indian students from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry who lost their lives in an air accident in Canada during their flight training.

In a post on X, the Consulate General of India, Vancouver, said, "The Consulate General of India, Vancouver, expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of Shri Manoj Sivakumar and Shri Srisaran Thirugnanasambantham, two Indian students from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, who lost their lives in a tragic air accident in Canada during their flight training."

"Our heartfelt sympathies are with their bereaved families and loved ones during this difficult time. The Consulate stands ready to extend all possible consular assistance to the families in connection with the repatriation of the mortal remains to India. May the departed souls rest in peace," it added.


The development comes amid the Government of India's broader efforts to ensure the safety, security and well-being of Indian nationals abroad and provide consular assistance during emergencies.

In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha on July 30, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the government has undertaken various operations to safely evacuate stranded Indian nationals from conflict regions and has facilitated their return through commercial flights, including non-scheduled operations, transit visas, local transportation and cross-border movements.

The government said Indian Embassies and Consulates issue regular advisories, operate 24x7 emergency helplines and coordinate with local authorities to assist Indian nationals during crisis situations. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also set up a dedicated Special Control Room to monitor situations, respond to queries from affected Indian nationals and their families and coordinate with Indian Missions on emergency cases.

The government further said it uses a structured, multi-layered mechanism comprising regular advisories, additional emergency helplines, 24x7 control rooms and evacuation operations where necessary. Logistical support, including safe shelter, meals, local and cross-border movement, transportation and evacuation flights, is also provided as required.

The MEA's Rapid Response Cell coordinates with concerned agencies, services, armed forces and ministries to ensure seamless coordination during evacuation operations, while the Ministry has also developed and is undertaking final trials of a digital emergency response solution for use during such operations.