India
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis escapes unhurt after his helicopter crash-lands.
Updated : May 25, 2017, 01:43 PM IST
A chopper carrying Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday crash-landed in the state's Latur district. The Chief Minister and his team escaped unhurt.
Fadnavis was later taken to the residence of Labour Minister Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar.
"Our helicopter did meet with an accident in Latur but me and my team is absolutely safe and ok. Nothing to worry," Fadnavis tweeted.
Our helicopter did meet with an accident in Latur but me and my team is absolutely safe and ok.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 25, 2017
Nothing to worry.
"Maharashtra government's Sikorsky helicopter VT-CMM took off from Nilanda SE of Latur at 12:00 hrs. There were six persons on board including two crew members. After take-off, pilot found variable wind pattern and decided to land back. However, during landing, the helicopter got entangled in wires," said DGCA in a statement.
"The helicopter has sustained substantial damage. All six persons are safe and escaped unhurt," the statement reads.
#WATCH: Dramatic visuals of crash-landing of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis's chopper in Latur, CM and team escaped unhurt. pic.twitter.com/xTikKyvkhg
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 25, 2017
Helicopter carrying Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Latur had bad landing @dna pic.twitter.com/CmHL6jjeRO
— Somen Sharma (@s_somen) May 25, 2017
The Chief Minister also issued a video wherein he is seen assuring the people that he was safe. "Due to the blessings of all - more than 11 crore people of Maharashtra and Maa Bhawani, I am safe and absolutely unharmed," he said.
After helicopter mishap CM .@Dev_Fadnavis .@CMOMaharashtra says he is safe, no cause for worry .@dna pic.twitter.com/BpCF9H5wrZ
— Dhaval Kulkarni (@dhavalkulkarni) May 25, 2017
Meanwhile, a chartered plane is being sent to Latur to get Fadnavis and others back to Mumbai.
Officials from the Chief Minister's office said that the chopper was bought in December 2011, for Rs 52 crore.
Fadnavis was in Latur to launch a 'Shivar Samwad Sabha' to reach out to farmers in the state and address their issues.
Fadnavis was also scheduled to meet farmers in Latur district of Marathwada region.