The incident took place around 9:05 a.m. on Wednesday as the President arrived in the district ahead of her scheduled pilgrimage to the revered Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Officials confirmed that soon after the Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter touched down, its wheels sank slightly, creating depressions in the soft, unset concrete surface of the landing pad.
Last-Minute Change Leads to Rushed Construction
The primary cause of the mishap has been identified as a failure to allow sufficient time for the concrete to cure. According to a senior police officer, the helipad at the Pramadam Stadium was an improvised alternative to the original plan.
The President was initially scheduled to land at Nilackal, near the foothills of Sabarimala (Pamba). However, a last-minute decision was made to change the location to Pramadam due to adverse or inclement weather conditions in the region. This necessitated the hasty construction of the new helipad tarmac late on Tuesday evening, which ultimately failed to support the weight of the VVIP aircraft.
Manual Rescue and Safe Continuation of Journey
Immediately following the soft landing and subsequent sinking, police and fire department personnel who were on standby rushed to the site. Videos circulating from the scene show multiple security and emergency staff manually pushing and maneuvering the heavy helicopter off the sunken area to stabilize the aircraft, a visual that has drawn widespread attention and raised questions about coordination and preparation for VVIP movements.
Crucially, President Murmu was reported to have safely disembarked immediately after the touchdown and continued her travel to Pamba by road in a special vehicle. She is the first woman head of state and the second President of India overall to visit the Sabarimala shrine.
The President’s four-day official visit to Kerala, which began on Tuesday, October 21, is set to continue as planned. Her itinerary includes offering prayers at the Sabarimala Temple, unveiling a bust of former President K.R. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, and participating in the Mahasamadhi Centenary observance of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt.
Authorities are expected to launch a formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the helipad's preparation to prevent future security and procedural lapses during high-profile visits. It has been confirmed that a different Indian Air Force helicopter will be deployed from Nilackal for the President’s return journey after a thorough safety audit of the alternative landing spot.