Mumbai/Kannur: In a tragic turn of events, Sanju Francis, hailing from Kannur, lost his life on his maiden trip to the oilfields of the the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in the Mumbai High Field just an hour after he spoke to his mother that he was going to take up a new job.
Sanju was killed in a helicopter crash along with three others. He was about to join as an employee at 'Saraf', a catering contract unit functioning at the offshore oilfields of the ONGC.
Sanju boarded the helicopter after calling up his mother at 10.30 am to inform that he was about to report for work at the catering unit of the oil rig named "Sagar Kiran".
The accident took place around 11.45 am when there was just one and a half kilometer left for reaching the rig. Suddenly, a technical snag hit the helicopter and amidst attempts to make an emergency landing, the helicopter crashed in the sea.
Sanju is the son of the late K Sunny Francis of 'Kripa' at Padannapalam in Chalad, and Mary Ambika. His brother is Dickson.