The mini helicopter—with a pilot, technician and a couple—was on joyride from Juhu to Goregaon (film city), when it crashed at around 12 pm
A private helicopter crashed near Filter Pada area of Aarey Colony in suburban Goregaon here on Sunday, killing the pilot and injuring three others.
The mini helicopter—with a pilot, technician and a couple—was on joyride from Juhu to Goregaon (film city), when it crashed at around 12 pm.
It was a group of boys who was playing cricket there who saw the incident and rushed the injured to Seven Hills hospital in Marol, where doctors declared the pilot, Praful Mishra (53) brought dead.
The other three have been identified as technician Sanjeev Shankar, and passengers Vrinda Modi (34) and Ritesh Modi (35).
Mahavir Sharma (25), an eyewitness, said: "We were playing cricket when we saw the helicopter taking rounds in the area. The people inside were waving hands, but we mistook it as them greeting us."
According to him, the pilot was looking for space to land, but lost control of the chopper which crashed and caught fire.
Another resident of Filter Pada, Akshay Jadhav, 21, said: "They were in bad condition, with bodies partially burnt. We were not able to remove their seat belts. We had to bring a garden sickle to cut them open."
Lakma Pagae, 50, on whose land the chopper crashed, said: "The youths were here to play cricket only because it was a Sunday. On seeing the chopper coming down, I waved to them pleading not to." It was Pagae who provided water to the youths to douse the fire and called the police control room.
"We have filed an accidental death report (ADR). Further inquiry is being done by Civil Aviation department," said Kirankumar Chavan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone XII.
According to the Medical Superintendent of Seven Hills hospitals, the condition of two passengers is critical. Dr Rajendra Karwa, said: "While the condition of Ritesh Modi is serious, his wife—who has suffered 30 per cent burns—is conscious and alert. The technician has suffered multiple fractures."
The helicopter is said to be over 20 years old and was used as 15 minutes' joy ride of Mumbai tour by Aman Aviation for more than five years.
"It will be very early to say anything about how exactly this tragic incident happened. The pilot did mention about clutch failure in the last call that he made to the Air Traffic Control," the DCP said.
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