Close shave for President Patil’s chopper (Second Lead)
By IANSWednesday, December 9, 2009
BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil Wednesday had a narrow escape when the rotor blades of her military helicopter grazed an abandoned building after landing at the airport here, a spokeswoman for the president said.
The incident happened at 5.05 p.m. when the Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper was returning to Bhubaneswar from the temple town of Puri carrying the president, who had come to Orissa Tuesday on a three-day visit.
“The helicopter landed in the runway and was taxing when the rotor blade touched an abandoned building,” president’s press secretary Archana Dutta told IANS in New Delhi.
She said that the helicopter became “unstable for a minute” following the near collision. “The president is fine, nothing happened to her,” she said.
Patil was immediately shifted to the Raj Bhavan, the official said.
“She is relaxed and is meeting people also. She is aware of the incident,” she said.
The president’s secretary then spoke to the secretary in the defence ministry to seek an enquiry into the near accident and to take “appropriate action”.
“The air force will be conducting the enquiry,” Dutta added.
Sanjay Jain, director of the Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar, said: “One of the rotor blades hit a concrete structure but everything is safe. No one has been injured.”
