Pune: In a tragic incident, a helicopter crashed near the Lavale area in Bavdhan, Pune, on Wednesday morning, resulting in the death of three people. The accident occurred around 7:30 AM, shortly after the helicopter took off from the Oxford Golf Club helipad.

The victims have been identified as pilots G.K. Pillai, Paramjit Singh, and engineer Pritam Bhardwaj. The helicopter crashed approximately 1.5 kilometers from the helipad and caught fire upon impact, leading to the immediate death of all three onboard.

Fire brigade teams and ambulances rushed to the site as soon as the incident was reported. The helicopter belonged to Heritage Aviation, based in Delhi, and was reportedly en route to Juhu to pick up MP Sunil Tatkare.

Preliminary investigations suggest technical failure could be the reason for the crash, and thick fog in the area may have also contributed. This is the second helicopter crash in the Pune region within a month, the first occurring in August when a helicopter traveling from Juhu to Hyderabad crashed near Paud due to bad weather.