BUTTERWORTH: "He's gone, he's gone.."
This was the only phrase that S. Usha, 42, could repeat upon learning of her husband's death at the Seberang Jaya Hospital tonight.
Her husband, RMAF pilot Major Kayamboo Chellam, died when his Beechcraft B200T aircraft crashed at the Butterworth airbase this evening.
Usha, who was in hysterics, insisted on seeing her husband's body despite being advised against it.
"I am his wife. I want to see him," she insisted. However, she wasn't allowed to do so, as a relative told her that his body was 80 per cent destroyed as a result of the crash.
Usha, who was sobbing loudly, also said that it was her husband's birthday today.
She said she had spoken to him in the morning, wishing him 'happy birthday'. He had told her that he would be back home tonight.
Usha wondered aloud how would she explain Kayamboo's death to their four children, aged between three and 10.
Kayamboo's mother, meanwhile, was also crying loudly, saying that she should have died before her son.
His sister C.Gayathri, 36 said Kayamboo was a very good brother, and was someone who had helped her a lot throughout her life.
"He helped me buy a car, house and even find a job.
"Yesterday he banked in RM2,500 into my banking account and told me to use it for my expenses," she said.
She said they last met during Kartikai Deebam, a Hindu festival of lights, last week.
"He was back for the weekend and cleaned up the house before setting up rows of oil lamps," she said.