Overview
- A helicopter carrying Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde turned back Thursday after the pilot saw a fast-moving dust storm near Airoli and returned to Juhu, officials said.
- The flight left the Mahalaxmi Racecourse helipad around 3:30 pm for Murbad and touched down safely at the Pawan Hans facility in Juhu with no injuries reported.
- Officials credited the pilot for a quick risk call as visibility dropped, reflecting standard practice in VIP flights to divert when weather crosses safety limits.
- Those on board included Shinde and close aides such as his personal assistant Prabhakar Kale, officer on special duty Balsingh Rajput, and media adviser Vinayak Patrudkar.
- Local weather alerts flagged thunderstorms over Thane, Kalyan, and Navi Mumbai with videos showing thick dust and strong winds, while a single report of helicopter damage was not corroborated by other outlets or officials, a point watched closely after January 28’s fatal crash that killed then deputy CM Ajit Pawar.