The 9th Day Of The 2nd Month

To Mataji, Pitaji, and Harkiren

Date: 09/02/07

Time: 13:30

Setting: 2 hours before takeoff

Message: I love you

9^th February 2007. 4 students performing navigation exercise number 10. Langkawi to Penang to Alor Setar to Langkawi. Eddie, Izwan, Azlan, and Hargobind, in take off sequence. Just another day in flying school.

Izwan and mE in Nando's

From Vicky

Date: 09/02/07

Time: 15:08

Setting: During stop-over in Penang

Message: Dey don 4get my Nando’s order man! I’ll kill you if you come back without the chicken :)

9^th February 2007. Hanging out in Nando’s in the Penang Airport. Called Eunice to see if she was in town. Ordered take aways for the guys back on campus. Just another day in a flight to Penang.

The last photograph of Azlan before the crash

From Lavan

Date: 09/02/07

Time: 18:49

Setting: After landing in Alor Setar

Message: Dude, first of all, thanks for not giving me your sortie. U ok or not? Pick up the damn fon la!

From Murali

Date: 09/02/07

Time: 18:55

Setting: After landing in Alor Setar

Message: Harry, murali here. My aunt will pick you up from alor setar airport at 8pm. Just sit tight k?

9^th February 2007. Azlan encounters an engine failure. Crashes in the water south of Aman Island, 5 minutes from Penang. Eddie and Izwan make it back to Langkawi safely. I am ordered to make a full stop landing at Alor Setar Airport and spend the night in town. The beginning of a new type of day.

From Mataji

Date: 09/02/07

Time: 20:21

Setting: At Murali’s aunt’s home

Message: Thank God you are safe. What have they planned for you now?

From Mataji

Date: 09/02/07

Time: 21:54

Setting: At Murali’s aunt’s home

Message: Ok then good nite. God bless you. We love you dear

9^th February 2007. Having dinner with Auntie Krishna and family. Dressed in clothes not belonging to me. Sleeping in a bed new to me. My first time in Alor Setar. Azlan is saved by local fisherman uninjured. Placed in Penang Hospital for monitoring. Quite the irregular day.

The guest room in Aunty Krishna's home where i spent the night. Lovely family.

From Manipalian (Manmeet)

Date: 10/02/07

Time: 21:17

Setting: One day later, back in Langkawi

Message: Hi hargobind,how r u?=) heard abt d ’adventurous flight yday, glad evrythng ok=] me currently tied dwn wth sportsday;>tc, huggies! Satnam –manipalian Manmeet

10^th February 2007. Aircraft is recovered from the sea. The full story repeated by me to the students on campus over and over again. All aircraft are grounded for a week for inspection. Life goes on.

From Coach Sukhbir

Date: 12/02/07

Time: 00:07

Setting: 3 days later

Message: Dear hargobind, heard abt ur friend’s accident, so glad u r fine and pray for ur friend.. miss u as always. Lots of love. Satnam

9^th February 2007. The first engine failure in our flying school history. The first crash I have had first hand knowledge about. My first stay with an Indian family, and they made me feel like family. You know what they say. There’s a first time for everything.

Messages were also received from Paven Singh, Ajit Kaur from Subang, and others that were unfortunately deleted due to storage limitations before I got this idea of typing them all out. My many thanks to all of you who took the trouble to send me your messages. It was an eye opener to see how much one person’s life matters to those around him. And I was not even involved in the crash! I will end with the famous words of Roberto Benighi that you have probably seen countless times in my messages to you. ‘Life is Beautiful’. Cheers……….. Written on the 20^th February 2007