October 2, 2024: A tragic helicopter crash in the Bavdhan area of Pune, Maharashtra, claimed the lives of three individuals, including two pilots and an engineer, early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 6:45 AM in a hilly terrain shortly after the helicopter took off from a helipad at a nearby golf course.

The helicopter, registered as VT EVV, was operated by Heritage Aviation and was on a chartered flight for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). According to NCP chief Sunil Tatkare, the aircraft was en route to Mumbai for a visit to Raigad.

The victims have been identified as pilots Paramjit Singh and GK Pillai, along with engineer Pritam Bharadwaj. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter lose altitude before crashing and bursting into flames.

Emergency responders from the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority have deployed four fire tankers to the crash site to extinguish the flames and assist in the recovery efforts.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest that the aircraft encountered difficulties shortly after takeoff, but further details have yet to be confirmed.