• April 11, 2021

Helicopter carrying businessman MA Yusuf Ali and wife crash-lands in Kochi: Avoids major mishap

KOCHI April 11: A helicopter in which UAE-based businessperson MA Yusuff Ali and his wife were travelling had an emergency landing on a marshy land at Panangad in Ernakulam on Sunday morning. The helicopter crash landed in a swamp of a residential area at about 8.45 in the morning and since it was a secluded area, a major mishap was averted.

The LuLu Group chairman and his wife, who were aboard the copter, escaped unhurt. All occupants have been placed under observation at a private hospital nearby.

The incident occurred at around 9 a.m. amidst mild rainfall. The helicopter landed on the marshy plot of land, off the NH Bypass at Panangad, reportedly following technical snag.

The pilot and others walked through hip-deep water, helped by people of the locality, and were taken to the hospital.

Yusuf Ali, who is the chairman of LuLu Group, and others had boarded the helicopter that bore the logo of his group from his house in Kochu Kadavanthra to call on a relative who was admitted in a nearby hospital. It was slated to land on the ground of Fisheries College, Panangad but landed on the marshy plot around 200 m away.

The pilot managed to land the helicopter within the compound wall of the plot.