After landing, the wheels of the Indian Air Force helicopter sank into the newly cast runway; The problem was resolved immediately without any injuries.
An unusual incident occurred during the official visit of the President of India Draupadi Murmu to the state Kerala this week. Indian Air Force (IAF) Helicopters which carried the head of state was trapped after landing in an area that had just been prepared in Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadiumdistrict Pathanamthitta.
Several reports say that the helicopter is Mil Mi-17 or a similar model used by the Indian Air Force.
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According to local media such as NDTV And Times of Indiapart of newly minted helipad collapsed under the weight of the helicopter, causing the wheels to partially sink into the still soft surface. Police and firefighters at the scene moved quickly and managed to free the helicopter by pushing it manually, without causing damage or injury.
The change in landing location was reportedly made at the last minute because bad weather conditions in the Nilackal area, which necessitated the emergency construction of a new helipad. However, the concrete had not hardened enough before the president’s landing took place.
Despite the incident, President Murmu not in danger and continued his agenda as usual, including visits to Kuil Sabarimala. The local government said it would conduct a review of security procedures and infrastructure used on official travel.
Video of the incident, showing the helicopter’s wheels sinking and officers running to help, quickly went viral on Indian social media, prompting comments about the lack of planning and improvisation in such a high-level operation.
The wheels of the helicopter which carried President Droupadi Murmu for her Sabarimala visit got stuck in a depression in the newly concreted helipad at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium at Pramadam here when it landed on Wednesday morning.
After the President left for Pamba by… pic.twitter.com/fDIvVeac3k
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) 22 October 2025
Source: NDTV, Times of India | Twitter @TheSiasatDaily. This content was created with the help of artificial intelligence and has been reviewed by the editorial team.
