Chopper carrying Bihar Minister makes emergency landing

PATNA: A Bihar government helicopter with Minister for Road Construction Nand Kishore Yadav and five others onboard today made an emergency landing after being air-borne for 20 minutes as thunderstorm erupted, near Islampur in Nalanda district.

All onboard the state government-owned helicopter 'Dauphin 3659' were safe, state Civil Aviation Director (Operation) Dipak Kumar told PTI.

Kumar said as the minister was returning to Patna after attending an official function at Samastipur, storm and inclement weather conditions forced the Air Traffic Control not to allow the landing as it was on way to Patna airport.

The two pilots - Capt G Solanki and Capt T K Mishra - after being airborne for 20-25 minutes, decided to make emergency landing on the ground of a school at Madikhurd in Islampur in Nalanda, he said.

As the weather improved, the helicoptor once again took off for Patna and had safe landing, Kumar added.

Chief Engineer (Road Construction department) D N Prasad and engineer of the helicopter Alvi were also accompanying the minister.