KOCHI: Lulu Group chairman M A Yusuff Ali, who sustained minor injuries after his helicopter belly-landed in a swamp at Panangad in Kochi on Sunday, returned to the UAE on Monday. Yusuff Ali went back to Abu Dhabi along with his family in a special aircraft sent by the royal family of the UAE, said V Nandakumar, director of communications, Lulu Group International.
"His health is perfectly alright. He has been advised rest by the doctors and he is recuperating at his home in Abu Dhabi," he said.
Yusuff Ali, his wife and five others had a miraculous escape on Sunday morning after a chopper they were travelling in belly-landed in a swamp at Panangad. All were placed under observation at the VPS Lakeshore Hospital in the city. Yusuff Ali and his wife were taken to Kochi Airport on Monday morning and from there they returned to the UAE.
DGCA officials from Chennai, who reached Kochi on Sunday night to examine the chopper, completed the proceedings by morning. Later, the helicopter was lifted after a four-hour exercise using a crane and shifted to Nedumbassery.
The helicopter was supposed to land at the KUFOS (Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies) campus ground in Panangad, but was forced to land at the swamp near the highway due to some technical issues at around 9:00 am.