IN PICS | Fadnavis escapes chopper crash unscathed, many other politicians didn’t

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had a providential escape when his helicopter crash-landed on Thursday. But many other Indian politicians who were not as lucky were killed in air crashes. Here's a look at who survived air crashes and who didn't.

Almost 37 years ago, firebrand Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi, the younger son of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and younger brother of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was killed when a small aircraft he was piloting crashed at the Safdarjung  

Among possibly the earliest Indian politicians to be killed in a plane crash tragedy was the late revolutionary leader, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, on August 18, 1945, in what is modern Taiwan. But his death has been a subject of disbelief and controversy which is still unsettled in the minds of many

Senior DMK leader and former Minister of State for Defence N V N Somu (R) was killed in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on November 14, 1997.

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia was killed when his Cessna aircraft crashed on September 30, 2001, while he was flying to Kanpur for an election rally. He is seen here presenting an award to athlete PT Usha.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Telugu Desam Party leader G M C Balayogi was killed in a chopper crash on March 3, 2002 in Andhra Pradesh. Here he is seen with his spiritual leader Bangaru Adigalar

Popular South Indian actress Soundarya, who was well known for her role in Padaiyappa opposite Rajinikanth, was among four people killed when a small aircraft ferrying them on a BJP campaign to Andhra Pradesh crashed minutes after it took off from Jakkur airfield near Bangalore, Karnataka, on April 17, 2004. Here she is seen inaugurating a shop along with actor-politician Sarath Kumar

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was killed in a chopper crash on September 2, 2009.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu was killed in a chopper crash on April 30, 2011.

There have been others as lucky as Fadnavis who managed to survive air crashes. They included former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who escaped unhurt when his special aircraft crashed in Assam in November 1977.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel (seen here), and former union ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Kumari Selja escaped miraculously from a chopper crash in Gujarat in 2004.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, and former union ministers Prithviraj Chavan (seen here) and Kumari Selja escaped miraculously from a chopper crash in Gujarat in 2004.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, and former union ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Kumari Selja (seen here) escaped miraculously from a chopper crash in Gujarat in 2004.

In 2007, then Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh (seen here) and his cabinet colleague P S Bajwa survived after their chopper got entangled in overhead electrical cables in Gurdaspur.

In 2007, then Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his cabinet colleague P S Bajwa (seen here holding a sword at a rally) survived after their chopper got entangled in overhead electrical cables in Gurdaspur.