Chopper crashes during practice session at Raipur airport, two pilots dead
The chopper, manufactured by Italy-based AgustaWestland, was facing technical problems for several years.
![Chopper crashes during practice session at Raipur airport, two pilots dead](https://sc0.blr1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/article/174294-vyqhdsshja-1652407496.jpg)
Two pilots were killed after a government helicopter crashed at an airport in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur on Thursday, PTI reported.
The pilots were identified as Captain Gopal Krishna Panda and Captain AP Shrivastava.
#Chhattisgarh State #Helicopter #crashed at #Raipur’s Swami Vivekanand Airport tonight at around 9.10 pm.
— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) May 13, 2022
It was on a routine training sortie. Initial indications suggest technical malfunction as the cause of crash. pic.twitter.com/up0Gt3x4fh
Senior Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said that the accident took place during a practice session at the Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur at around 9.10 pm, NDTV reported.
The Chhattisgarh government said that the initial investigation suggests technical malfunction as the cause of the crash.
“A detailed technical investigation at the behest of Directorate General of Civil Aviation and state government shall be undertaken to ascertain the exact cause,” the government said in a statement.
The chopper, manufactured by Italy-based AgustaWestland, was facing technical problems for several years, The Indian Express reported. It was bought in 2007 by the then Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Raman Singh.
The Congress party had alleged that the helicopter was bought at a hiked price, according to the newspaper.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the incident.
“Just got the sad news about the state helicopter crash at the airport in Raipur,” Baghel wrote in a tweet. “In this tragic accident, both our pilots – Captain Panda and Captain Srivastava – died. May God give strength to their family members in this time of grief.”
अभी रायपुर में एयरपोर्ट पर स्टेट हेलीकॉप्टर के क्रैश होने की दुखद सूचना मिली.
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) May 12, 2022
इस दुखद हादसे में हमारे दोनों पायलट कैप्टन पंडा और कैप्टन श्रीवास्तव का दुखद निधन हो गया है।
इस दुःख की घड़ी में ईश्वर उनके परिवारजनों को संबल एवं दिवंगत आत्मा को शांति प्रदान करे।
ॐ शांति: