After landing, the wheels of the Indian Air Force helicopter sank into a newly concreted helipad; the issue was quickly resolved with no injuries reported.
An unusual incident occurred during the official visit of Indian President Droupadi Murmu to the state of Kerala this week. The Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carrying the head of state became temporarily stuck after landing on a freshly prepared surface at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Pathanamthitta district.
Some reports suggest that the aircraft involved was a Mil Mi-17 or a similar model operated by the Indian Air Force.
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According to local outlets such as NDTV and the Times of India, part of the newly concreted helipad gave way under the helicopter’s weight, causing the wheels to sink slightly into the still-soft surface. Police and firefighters at the scene quickly responded and managed to free the helicopter by manually pushing it, without any damage or injuries.
The change of the landing site was reportedly made at the last minute due to adverse weather conditions in the Nilackal region, prompting the emergency preparation of a new helipad. However, the concrete had not yet fully set before the presidential landing took place.
Despite the mishap, President Murmu was never in danger and continued her schedule as planned, including a visit to the Sabarimala Temple. The local government has announced a review of safety and infrastructure procedures used for official travel.
A video of the incident, showing the helicopter’s wheels sinking and teams rushing to assist, quickly went viral on Indian social media, sparking discussions about poor planning and improvisation during high-level operations.
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) October 22, 2025
Sources: NDTV, Times of India | Twitter @TheSiasatDaily. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
