Pune: Helicopter En Route to Mumbai Crashes in Bavdhan, Kills Three
A helicopter crash in Pune's Bavdhan area on Wednesday morning claimed the lives of two pilots and an engineer
Pune, October 02, 2024: In a tragic incident on Wednesday morning, a helicopter crash in Pune’s Bavdhan area claimed the lives of two pilots and an engineer. The helicopter, operated by Delhi-based private aviation firm Heritage Aviation, was en route to Juhu, Mumbai, when it went down at around 7:40 am, catching fire upon impact.
According to local police, the Agusta 109 helicopter had taken off from the Oxford County Golf Course helipad and crashed into the hilly terrain near Bavdhan.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad confirmed that the helicopter belonged to Heritage Aviation and was headed to Mumbai when the accident occurred. Fire and police teams promptly responded to the scene.
STORY | Helicopter crashes in Pune; 2 persons feared dead
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 2, 2024
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VIDEO: #PuneHelicopterCrash #PuneNews
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Pimpri Chinchwad Commissioner of Police Vinaykumar Choubey stated, “Three persons have died in the helicopter crash. Our teams, along with fire department vehicles, have reached the spot.”
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Visuals from the spot in Pune where a private chopper crashed soon after it took off, claiming 3 lives. Police and Fire Department teams are present at the spot.
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2024
DCP Pimpri-Chinchwad says that a private helicopter of Heritage Aviation took off from… pic.twitter.com/U5QFJUOmjB
The victims were identified by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s fire officer Anil Dimle as Girish Kumar, Pritam Singh Bhardwaj, and Paramjeet Singh.
Initial reports suggest that foggy weather may have been a factor in the crash. However, a detailed investigation, led by Pimpri Chinchwad Joint Commissioner of Police Shashikant Mahavarkar, is underway to determine the exact cause.
In an unexpected twist, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state president Sunil Tatkare revealed that he was scheduled to fly in the same helicopter that day for a trip from Mumbai to Raigad. “I am deeply saddened by the incident,” Tatkare told PTI, “The helicopter was hired by the party, and on Tuesday, I flew in it to Parli in Beed district. Today, I was supposed to fly from Mumbai to Raigad in the same helicopter.”
