Tragedy struck the Bavdhan area of Pune on Wednesday morning when a helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff, leaving at least three individuals feared dead, including two pilots and an aircraft engineer.
The helicopter had departed from Oxford Golf Club, en route to Juhu Airport in Mumbai, when it went down around 7:50 AM, just three to four minutes into its flight.
Witnesses reported that thick fog shrouded the region at the time of the incident, which local police believe may have contributed to the crash.
This incident marks the second helicopter crash in the Pune hills in recent months.
On 24 August, a private helicopter on a Mumbai-Hyderabad route crashed in the area, resulting in injuries to four people.
Earlier, on 3 May, another helicopter crashed near a helipad in Raigad while en route to pick up Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare.
Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Chandrakant Patil commented that preliminary reports suggest the crash might caused by a technical failure combined with poor visibility, although investigations are still ongoing.
Adding to the intrigue, unconfirmed reports indicated that Sunil Tatkare, the state President of the ruling Nationalist Congress Party, was likely to fly on the same helicopter.
The aircraft was reportedly heading to Mumbai to collect Tatkare after completing a trip to Beed the previous day.
A passerby alerted local police following the crash, prompting an immediate response.
A team including members of the local fire brigade was dispatched to the crash site, which is located in a challenging, hilly terrain surrounded by dense forest.
Authorities have notified local aviation officials, and a team of experts is en route from Mumbai to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Hinjewadi Police Station is collaborating with aviation officials to gather information, identify the victims, and facilitate the transfer of their bodies for autopsy.
Further updates are underway as the investigation unfolds.
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