'A captain, a hero': Devi Sharan, pilot of hijacked flight IC 814, retires after 40 years, Air India salutes legacy

Air India honoured Captain Devi Sharan, the pilot of hijacked 1999 flight IC814, after he complete his last flight as a pilot. "The Sky Bows, the Runway Salutes - A name etched in history, a legacy written in courage," a post by Air India on Instagram read.

IC 814, an Indian Airlines (later a division of Air India) aircraft was hijacked by five terrorists in December 1999, just 40 minutes after the plane took off from Kathmandu. There were 179 passengers and 11 crew members on board including Captain Devi Sharan.

Air India shared a video montage of Captain Sharan's time in Air India including pictures of him receiving a hero's welcome after days of negotiations by the Indian government brought the hostages back home.

The video included the last announcement made by Captain Sharan on his final flight from Melbourne to Delhi where he looked back at his journey with Air India. "This is my last flight and I could not be more thankful for a truly memorable and glorious career. I would like to thank my passengers over the years for giving me the opportunity to fly you safely back home," he said, signing off, "Fly safe, fly high. Jai Hind"

Take a look at the post here:

Speaking to Times of India, the pilot said that the hijacking was one of the toughest days of his life. “IC 814 hijacking taught me life is very unpredictable and one has to be always ready to fight back. Those were the toughest days of my life and my only aim was to save lives of everyone on that aircraft. I hope and pray no crew member, passenger or anyone else ever relives those moments,” he said.

(Also read: 'Seems nothing has changed..': Captain Devi Sharan remembers 1999's Kandahar hijack)

The pilot revealed that the trauma from the incident left him with a heightened sense of danger as always made sure to observe those around him to ensure everything was alright, even as a passenger on flights.