KOCHI: The expertise of the pilots averted a tragedy as they landed, despite heavy weather, the chopper carrying Lulu group chairman Yusuffali M A and five others on a small strip of marshy land that had concrete walls on three sides.The pilots, Ashok and Shivaprasad, had to chart the chopper away from the busy NH 66, the power lines, and two houses located nearby, according to the officers with the Panangad police station.
“The pilots steered clear of these potential hazards and managed to land the helicopter within the compound walls of the vacant marshy plot. They dealt with the situation effectively. Had the rotor blades touched the compound wall, fire or even a blast would have occurred. But they landed the chopper without causing any harm in a residential area,” said an officer.
The 20-cent marshy field, located near one of the service roads of the NH, is owned by Peter, a native of Nettoor. The chopper was supposed to land at the KUFOS ground in Panangad but had to belly-land on the marshy plot around 200 metres away, the officer added.The preliminary examination by the DGCA officials will continue on Monday.