Narrow escape for Fadnavis as chopper develops snag

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, January 3

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had a narrow escape after a technical fault was discovered in a helicopter shortly before he was to board it on Thursday.

Fadnavis was to board the chopper at Satara to attend a function in Khandala taluka, state government sources said.
However, a routine inspection of the helicopter shortly before the CM was due to fly revealed a technical fault.

After the flight programme was called off, Fadnavis along with other Cabinet ministers, Ram Shinde, Vijay Shivtare
and Sadabhau Khot, left for the government guest house, sources said.

The chief minister has been through at least six mishaps involving helicopters since he assumed office.

Nearly two years ago, the state government chopper in which Fadnavis was flying crashed while taking off at Latur after its rotor got entangled with power cables.

In another incident, Fadnavis narrowly escaped being hit by tail rotor after the pilot accidentally started the aircraft while he was about to board it.