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Kerala Helipad Collapse: President Murmu's Chopper Pushed to Safety Amid Crisis

A portion of the helipad at Pramadam Stadium sank right after President Murmu's helicopter landed. Emergency crews quickly rushed to the scene to ensure everyone's safety. They had to physically push the aircraft out of the damaged area. Thankfully, the President continued with her scheduled visit to the Sabarimala temple without further incident.

Key Points: President Murmu's Helicopter Safety After Kerala Helipad Collapse

  • Helipad surface partially caved in moments after presidential chopper landed at Pramadam Stadium
  • Police and fire personnel manually pushed aircraft from sunken area for safety
  • President Murmu was visiting Kerala for four-day official tour including Sabarimala temple
  • Incident occurred during President's spiritual visit to offer prayers at famous pilgrimage site
2 min read

Part of helipad collapses as President Murmu's chopper lands in Kerala; crew pushes it to safety

President Droupadi Murmu's helicopter safely evacuated after helipad partially collapsed during Sabarimala temple visit in Kerala. Crew manually pushed aircraft to safety.

"Governor of Kerala Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister of State... received President Droupadi Murmu - President of India's official X account"

Pramadam, October 22

A portion of the helipad tarmac at the Pramadam Stadium in Kerala sank after the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu landed on Wednesday during her visit to the Sabarimala temple.

According to officials present at the site, the helipad surface partially caved in moments after the chopper touched down. Personnel from the police and fire departments immediately rushed to the spot and manually pushed the aircraft out of the sunken area to ensure safety.

The President was en route to offer prayers at the Sabarimala temple as part of her official four-day visit to Kerala, which began on October 21 and will conclude on October 24.

President Murmu arrived at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on Tuesday. She was received by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, George Kurian.

The President of India's official X account posted, "Governor of Kerala Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Shri George Kurian received President Droupadi Murmu on her arrival at Thiruvananthapuram."

Kerala CM Vijayan also shared a post on X regarding the President's visit. He said, "Warmly welcomed Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, on her visit to Kerala. Her presence was a great honour for the State and our people."

According to a release, the President will perform darshan and aarti at the Sabarimala Temple on October 22.

On October 23, she unveiled the bust of former President of India, K.R. Narayanan, at Raj Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. Later, she inaugurated the observance of the Mahasamadhi Centenary of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, and also graced the valedictory function of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas College, Palai.

On October 24, President Murmu attended the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa's College, Ernakulam.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation led by the party's Kerala President, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, met President Murmu at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram and apprised her of public concerns regarding various issues, including the Sabarimala gold theft incident, according to a party release.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The security personnel and crew deserve appreciation for their quick response. They literally pushed the helicopter to safety! Shows dedication and presence of mind. 🇮🇳
A
Arjun K
This incident raises serious questions about infrastructure maintenance in our country. If this can happen to the President's helicopter, imagine the state of other public facilities. Need better accountability.
S
Sarah B
Glad the President is safe and could continue her spiritual journey to Sabarimala. The temple visit is significant, and it's good she's participating in various cultural events across Kerala.
V
Vikram M
While I respect the President's office, such incidents highlight the need for better planning and infrastructure checks. The state government should take responsibility for this lapse. Safety first always!
M
Michael C
Impressed by the professionalism shown by the ground staff. Manual pushing of a helicopter requires coordination and courage. Hope there's a thorough investigation to prevent such incidents in future.

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