A Chhattisgarh government helicopter crashed at Raipur airport on Thursday evening leaving two pilots dead, reported news agencies quoting police officials. The incident took place during a flying practice at the Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur under Mana police station limits at around 9:10 pm, said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prashant Agrawal.
Two pilots on board the chopper were seriously injured in the crash and immediately taken to a nearby private hospital where they were declared dead, said the SSP. The deceased were identified as Captian Gopal Krishna Panda and Captain A P Shrivastava, said the police officer. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Sharing the tragic news, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel wrote on Twitter: “Both the pilots, Captain Panda and Captain Srivastava have died in the accident.” The CM expressed grief and offered condolences to the bereaved families.