Kerala: Part of helipad collapses as President Droupadi Murmu's chopper lands, crew pushes it to safety | Video
A portion of the helipad tarmac at Pramadam in Kerala sank after President Droupdi Murmu's helicopter landed on Wednesday morning. Emergency personnel manually moved the aircraft to safety.
A chopper carrying President Droupadi Murmu experienced a landing issue on Wednesday morning, 22 October, after part of the helipad surface subsided beneath the weight of the helicopter at Pramadam Stadium in Kerala. The President was visiting the area to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala.
Police and fire department personnel who were present at the location intervened quickly and manually moved the aircraft out of the affected area. Visuals showed officers moving the aircraft's wheels to stable ground.
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President Droupadi Murmu in Kerala on a 4-day official visit
President Droupadi Murmu is in Kerala to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on Wednesday.
The president arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday evening for a four-day official visit to the southern state and left for Pathanamthitta district this morning, where the hill shrine is located.
The president's convoy departed from the Raj Bhavan for the airport at 7.25 am. From there, she travelled by helicopter to Pramadam in Pathanamthitta district, before proceeding to Pamba, the foothills of Sabarimala.
Officials from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) said all arrangements for President Murmu's visit to Sabarimala are in place.
She will reach Sannidhanam in a convoy of five four-wheel-drive vehicles and an ambulance via the Swami Ayyappan Road and the traditional trekking path. Security has been increased, and a convoy rehearsal was held recently, TDB officials added.
After the darshan, she will return to Thiruvananthapuram in the evening.
On Thursday, she will unveil a bust of former President K R Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan. Later, she will inaugurate the Mahasamadhi Centenary celebrations of Sree Narayana Guru at the Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala and attend the valedictory function of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of St Thomas College in Pala, Kottayam district.
President Murmu will conclude her Kerala visit on 24 October by attending the centenary celebrations of St Teresa's College in Ernakulam.
On Tuesday, she was welcomed at the international airport by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, other public representatives, and senior officials.
President continues by road
After the President left for Pamba by road, visuals on TV channels showed several policemen and fire force personnel moving the helicopter's wheels out of the small depressions created when it landed on the concrete.
A senior district police officer told PTI that authorities designated the stadium as the President's helicopter landing site at the last moment, prompting them to construct the helipad late on Tuesday. They had originally planned the landing at Nilackal near Pamba, but shifted it to Pramadam due to unfavourable weather conditions.
“The concrete had not set completely, and therefore, it could not handle the helicopter's weight when it landed, and depressions were formed where the wheels touched the ground,” the officer said.
The President left for the Pathanamthitta district, where the hill shrine is located, this morning. From Pramadam, Murmu is travelling to Pamba, the foothills of Sabarimala, via road, PTI reported.