Commemoration held for pilot who perished in crash

BELGRADE A commemoration was held on Thursday for Maj. Goran Savic at the Serbian Army Air Force and Air Defense headquarters in the Belgrade municipality of Zemun. Savic died on Wednesday while test-flying a V-54 Lasta, after the training aircraft crashed into a residential area just northwest of Belgrade. Commemoration held for pilot who perished in crash Savic's decision to eject late from the malfunctioning plane cost him his life, but gave him time to steer the aircraft away from crashing into private houses. His family, friends, colleagues and military and government officials all gathered today to pay their respects and say goodbye to the 39-year-old pilot. The commemoration was attended, among others, by VS Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Technical-Testing Center Director Col. Slobodan Ilic and Savic's colleague Lt. Col. Goran Radosavljevic were among the speakers, recalling the late officer's life, training and career, his love for flying and care shown toward his family and younger officers. Radosavljevic praised Savic's piloting skills and passion for his profession, noting that he was also an excellent programmer and amateur radio operator. "He honored his colleagues, made his family proud, and we will remember him as a hero who sacrificed his life to save the lives of innocent people," the officer said in his eulogy, noting that Savic on Wednesday chose to stay in the aircraft in order to direct it between two buildings and avoid crashing into them. Maj. Goran Savic will be laid to rest on Friday in the town of Cajetina, western Serbia. (Tanjug) Tanjug

Commemoration held for pilot who perished in crash

Savić's decision to eject late from the malfunctioning plane cost him his life, but gave him time to steer the aircraft away from crashing into private houses.

His family, friends, colleagues and military and government officials all gathered today to pay their respects and say goodbye to the 39-year-old pilot.

The commemoration was attended, among others, by VS Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Ljubiša Diković and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vučić.

Technical-Testing Center Director Col. Slobodan Ilić and Savić's colleague Lt. Col. Goran Radosavljević were among the speakers, recalling the late officer's life, training and career, his love for flying and care shown toward his family and younger officers.

Radosavljević praised Savić's piloting skills and passion for his profession, noting that he was also an excellent programmer and amateur radio operator.

"He honored his colleagues, made his family proud, and we will remember him as a hero who sacrificed his life to save the lives of innocent people," the officer said in his eulogy, noting that Savić on Wednesday chose to stay in the aircraft in order to direct it between two buildings and avoid crashing into them.

Maj. Goran Savić will be laid to rest on Friday in the town of Čajetina, western Serbia.