Service No : 32755-H
Date of Birth : May 22, 1991
Place of birth : Kerala
Last Rank : Flight Lieutenant
Unit : 11 Wg AF
Arm/Regt : India Air Force
Martyrdom : May 23, 2017
Flight Lieutenant S Achudev was born on 22 May 1991 in Kerala. Flt Lt Achudev was an ace fighter pilot of the IAF having considerable experience in flying various aircraft. During 2017, Flt Lt Achudev was posted to a Su-30 operating fighter squadron located at 11 Wing Tezpur which is 172 km from the China border. The Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian-made, twin-engine fighter meant for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. The first of the Su-30 planes was inducted by the IAF in the late 1990s.
Operational Flying Task: 23 May 2017
On May 23, 2017, at around 10.30 AM, Flight Lieutenant Achudev along with Sqn Ldr D Pankaj took off in their Su-30 aircraft from Air Force Station Tezpur. They were flying as part of the operational training task in a two-aircraft formation. The pilots are tasked to carry out various flying maneuvers and procedures as part of their operational training. The plane went off the radar around 11:10 AM near Arunachal Pradesh’s Doulasang area, adjoining China.
A massive search was taken up to locate the aircraft and the missing pilots. The wreckage was found on May 26 through aerial recce, in a thick forest around 60 km from Tezpur. Search and rescue teams initially found a blood-stained shoe, a half-burnt PAN card, and the wallet of one of the two pilots. The fighter jet’s black box was recovered later on by teams comprising the Army, the Air Force, and civil administration personnel.
Flt Lt Achudev could not eject at the time of the crash, according to the analysis of the jet’s Flight Data Recorder and some other articles recovered from the crash site. He could not survive the crash and the precious life of a professionally competent fighter pilot was lost in the horrific accident. Flt Lt Achudev was a proud air warrior and a dedicated soldier who laid down his life in the service of the nation.
Flt Lt S Achudev is survived by his mother Smt Jaysree Prayankavil, father Shri Sehdevan, and sister Anushri Mahadevan.
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Rajpreet Uppal
2023 at 3:16 amMay you rest in peace brave heart.
India lost its another brave son who sacrificed his life on the lines of duty.
Salute Sir.
Om Varma
2023 at 3:17 amBraveheart ! Million salutes to you for your supreme sacrifice ! RIP