Colleagues remember Lakhram

The emails and phone calls have been pouring into the offices of ‘SVG Air’ from clients who had interacted with Captain Suresh Lakhram, the pilot of the Cessna 402C aircraft which has been missing since August 5.{{more}}

“Passengers often requested him because they trusted him and were confident in his flying,” Paul Gravel, Managing Director of SVG Air told SEARCHLIGHT.

“They (the passengers) all liked him,” he continued, saying that of the persons that Lakhram was responsible for transporting included officials representing some of the big Fortune 500 companies in North America.

But more important, according to Gravel, the tragedy has hit home, with the rest of the staff of SVG Air hit the hardest.

More so, there is concern for Captain Lakhram’s wife Camille and their two children.

“He was a good guy – a real team player,” was how Gravel described Lakhram adding that he was a family man.

Lakhram’s loss has also had adverse effects on the rest of the staff Gravel told SEARCHLIGHT.

“On the night of the crash, all of the off duty pilots came down hoping and waiting,” he explained.

“Staff members even camped out.”

He was well liked, as was evident by the number of persons who had set out to look for the aircraft and occupant, Gravel said.

“There were all sorts of boats,” he said, noting that there were about 20 yachts from neighbouring Grenadine Island and the mainland.

“This just goes to show how well known he was and so loved that everyone was ready to put out what they could,’ said Martin Barnard, retired Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of SVG Air.

Barnard referred to Lakhram as a great man, adding that many of the pilots on staff today started their careers learning from him.

According to the former CEO, Lakhram had been one of the founding members of the company with over 20 years of service.

“He has always been with us and for us in thick and thin – he was loyal and a very good friend to all of us,” Barnard told SEARCHLIGHT.

Last week’s tragedy was the second that the company has had to deal with in recent times. In 2006, Barnard said the loss was personal, noting that then he had also lost his son-in-law, Dominic Gonsalves.

He reflected on the stress and emotional strain associated with the search efforts back then saying that he understood the suffering of the loved ones left behind to mourn the loss.

Barnard, however, said that while closure is not going to come easy, he takes comfort in knowing that Lakhram is probably in a better place.

“He is in the arms of his maker,” Barnard said. (DD)