Maharashtra CM Shinde's helicopter makes emergency landing during Satara visit

The helicopter of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made an emergency landing due a technical snag while travelling to Satara for an event.

Mumbai: The official visit of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to Satara for the inauguration of State level campaign 'Shasan Aplya Dari' was first cancelled due to a technical snag in a helicopter. Initially, the Chief Minister's helicopter encountered a technical issue near the Raj Bhavan area and the pilot made an emergency landing. Shinde's visit to Satara was cancelled immediately. Later, after repairing and inspecting the helicopter, he left for Satara and Karad to attend the event. Arrangements have been made for the visit of the Chief Minister to Satara and Patan.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security helicopter got stuck in the helipad built on a wet paddy field. An operation was carried out to lift the chopper that carried the security personnel. No casualties were reported. This was the third security army helicopter that came, along with Modi, for the campaign rally in Sindhanur taluk of Raichur district.

An election campaign was organised for the BJP candidates of 10 assembly constituencies of Raichur and Koppala districts at Hosahalli camp in Sindhanur. It was raining incessantly and the helipad was completely flooded. As Modi was scheduled to arrive in a helicopter, his security personnel instructed that a helipad be built to enable the landing of the chopper. Following this, the helipad was built in a hurry by covering the paddy field with soil. When the helicopter landed it got stuck on the wet field. An evacuation operation was launched immediately.