Coastguard helicopter crashes at Cochin airport

A coastguard helicopter crashed on a runway of Cochin airport on March 26 th morning but the passengers remained safe. The airport remained closed for air traffic for a few hours The “presence of mind” and “exemplary professionalism” of the young trainee pilot of the Coast Guard helicopter that crashed on a runway at Kochi airport on March 26^th helped avoid a major accident. “The pilot with bare minimum controls, manoeuvred the aircraft away from the main runway to avoid blocking the international airport.
 
He thereafter, cushioned the landing to the extent possible to save the three souls on board,” an official release from the Coast Guard said.  The cyclic control of the Dhruv advanced light helicopter (ALH) did not respond after it reached around 30-40ft above the ground on takeoff, the release said. Officials did not identify the pilot as an investigation is on.  
 
Operations at the Cochin airport was HALTED for two hours and three flights diverted. They include two Indigo flights from Bengaluru and Ahmedabad and Oman air flight from Muscat.
 After the inspection, Air India aircraft 831 from Delhi landed at Kochi airport at 2:28pm