A private helicopter flying from Mumbai to Hyderabad crashed near a hilly area in Pune on Saturday. The crash injured four people, including the pilot. The incident occurred near Paud village, which has been hit by heavy rains recently. The helicopter, owned by Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd., attempted an emergency landing before the crash.
The injured include Captain Sanjay Anand, Amardeep Singh, S.P. Ram, and Dir Bhatia, according to police reports. The chopper, a Leonardo AW139 with two engines and a 15-seat capacity, had the call sign VT-GVI.
Aviation expert and Pune pilot Vijay Sethi noted that the hilly terrain in Paud, coupled with strong winds and heavy rains, creates dangerous flying conditions. He speculated that the pilot tried to make an emergency landing but faced technical issues, leading to the crash.
Sethi explained that the flight route from Mumbai to Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport crosses this difficult terrain, particularly risky during monsoon. He added that pilots usually fly at higher altitudes to avoid such challenges when flights are necessary.
Emergency responders took the injured to a hospital in Pune. They are reportedly stable, but Captain Anand remains under treatment. No representatives from the helicopter company in Mumbai have commented on the incident yet.
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