Pune: A helicopter crash occurred in Pune today due to strong winds and bad weather. Fortunately, all four passengers on board survived the incident.
The helicopter, an AW 139, had taken off from Juhu in Mumbai and was en route to Hyderabad when it crashed near Paud, close to Pune city.
The captain sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. The helicopter, owned by Global Vectra Helicorp, crashed around 2 PM in Kondhwale village, according to Paud police inspector Manoj Yadav.
Local residents quickly arrived at the scene to assist the passengers. Inspector Yadav mentioned that while the weather was clear when the helicopter departed from Mumbai, it encountered difficulties upon reaching the Paud area, which had been experiencing heavy rainfall since the previous night.
The pilot attempted to land but the helicopter hit a babul tree before crashing to the ground. He added that the tree helped to soften the impact of the crash, reducing the severity of the final collision.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alerts, indicating heavy rainfall, for Pune and Satara districts in western Maharashtra.
An IMD official noted that a low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea, off the Maharashtra coast, will bring rain to most parts of Maharashtra over the next 48 hours.