Close shave for MA Yusuff Ali, 6 others as chopper belly-lands in Kochi swamp

LuLu Group's chopper makes emergency landing in Kochi
The helicopter force landed into a deserted bush near the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) campus in Panangad at 8:30am.

Kochi: NRI business baron M A Yusuff Ali and six others had a miraculous escape as a private chopper in which they were flying belly-landed in a swamp at Panagad on the outskirts of Kochi.

Seven, including LuLu Group chairman M A Yusuff Ali and the pilot of the chopper, are admitted to a private hospital in Kumbalam, Kochi, with minor injuries.

Close shave for MA Yusuff Ali, 6 others as chopper belly-lands in Kochi swamp

The helicopter made a forced landing into a deserted bush near the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) campus in Panangad at 8:30am, avoiding a major tragedy. It was supposed to land at the KUFOS campus ground but had to touchdown near the highway due to technical issues, according to initial reports.

Close shave for MA Yusuff Ali, 6 others as chopper belly-lands in Kochi swamp

The seven, including the pilot, managed to scramble out of the chopper as soon as it made a belly landing after an apparent engine malfunction.

"All of them are safe. They are currently under observation," a top official of the Lakeshore Hospital where they are treated told PTI.

×

Locals claimed that there was heavy wind and rain in the area during the time of the accident.

Yusuff Ali, 65, is the chairman and managing director of Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Group which operates hypermarkets and retail companies in many countries.

MA Yusuff Ali
Yusuff Ali, 65, is the chairman and managing director of Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Group which operates hypermarkets and retail companies in many countries. File photo: Manorama

He was honoured with Abu Dhabi's top civilian award for their noble and charitable contributions to the community by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to an official statement on Saturday.

Yusuff Ali was recently ranked in the Forbes Billionaire list 2021 as the richest Indian in the Middle East.

×

Ex-Riyadh flight makes emergency landing

An Air India Express flight made an emergency landing at the Cochin International Airport in the wee hours of Sunday.

The aircraft that had departed from Riyadh was due to land at the Kozhikode airport, but was directed to land at the nearest airport, Kochi, further south of the destination as technical failures were detected.

The plane touched down at the CIAL airport at 3:10am, 30 minutes before its landing time at the Kozhikode airport located at Karipur.

The passengers were taken to the Kozhikode airport in another flight.  

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.