Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Pankaja Munde narrowly escaped today morning after a helicopter she was on hit an issue just before takeoff. The Minister was scheduled to fly out to Latur for a slate of official engagements and public meetings but the plans were postponed indefinitely. It occurred as the Minister and her crew were getting ready to leave Mumbai. Initial reports indicated the pilot identified an anomaly in the aircraft's technical systems during its pre-flight safety inspections and engine warm-up.
The Emergency Safety Rule was conformed immediately and the technical error apparently related to the helicopter’s hydraulic system was detected, and the pilot aborted the flight and notified ground staff. Minister Munde was safely removed from the chopper and returned to her home.
Following this, the Minister's office went on social media to reassure supporters: "Due to technical difficulty in the helicopter, the planned trip to Latur today has now been postponed. Minister Pankaja Munde is well and safe. We shall issue new dates of the district visit soon.”
Second Incident in Several Month
It also gets another blow at state-government-chartered aircraft and helicopters used by VVIPs in Maharashtra, too. It was the second alleged “technical snag” reported in the past six months involving a high-profile minister. This has attracted calls for more stringent audits of the civil aviation wing's fleet.
Latur Schedules Derailed
In Latur, the Minister was going to inaugurate a number of rural development plans and be with party workers. Local officials have spoken of the delay to hundreds of supporters who marched to the helipad in Latur. The Minister admitted that she regretted missing planned events, but safety was still a priority, officials said.
Investigation Underway
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) alongside its state aviation department will also conduct a general inquiry into the kind of failure. The helicopter was moved to a hangar for a complete technical inspection, to rule out a failure involving a component or an accident during maintenance. Pankaja Munde has continued her official duties at her Mumbai office via video conference Tuesday afternoon.
