Chopper carrying Assam CM makes emergency landing

GUWAHATI: A helicopter carrying Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was forced to make an emergency landing in Lakhimpur district on Monday after being affected by heavy turbulence.

The Chief Minister was travelling from Guwahati to Narayanpur town for an event when his helicopter ran into trouble. All seven people on board, including the Chief Minister, are safe.

"The helicopter twirled three times in the air and it was due to the efforts made by the pilot and the co-pilot we could land safely," Hrishikesh Goswami, media advisor to the Chief Minister, told reporters in Lakhmipur.

"It is due to the prayers of the people and the blessings of the Almighty that we got lucky today," Goswami, who was on board, added.

In addition to the Chief Minister and Goswami there were five other people on board, including the pilot and the co-pilot.

According to official sources, the chopper had been rented from Pawan Hans Limited, a Delhi-based helicopter service company. The pilot reported bad weather and poor visibility before being forced to land.

This is the second helicopter-related incident reported on Monday.

Earlier in the day, seven people on board a private helicopter had a narrow escape after the tail end of their aircraft hit an object while making an emergency landing at a helipad in Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

They were returning from Kedarnath to Fata when the helicopter pilot noticed a technical snag.

"As the helicopter was making an emergency landing on the helipad its rear portion hit an object, perhaps a railing," a district disaster management official said, adding, "Luckily, all on board the helicopter are safe".

Seven persons, including the pilot, were on board the helicopter when the incident took place, he said.