Five killed as private chopper crashes near Mumbai

Five people were killed when a private chopper crashed in Thane rural area near Mumbai today after it came in contact with high tension wires. Thane Rural Superintendent of Police Anil Kumbhare told PTI that there were no survivors and all five persons on board the ill-fated chopper have been killed in the mishap.

The identity of the deceased was yet to be ascertained.

The accident occurred at around 7.50 am near Tokawade village in Murbad taluka of Thane, police said. The chopper belonging to private operator United Heli Charters had taken off from Juhu aerodrome in Mumbai in the morning and was going to Aurangabad or fuelling from where it had to go to Nagpur, Air Traffic Control sources said.

The accident occurred due to the chopper coming in contact with high tension electric wires in Murbad taluka of neighbouring Thane, police said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has rushed a team to the accident spot to investigate the cause of the mishap, a DGCA official said.