An Indian Air Force helicopter deployed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official convoy remains grounded at the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar helipad near Lalit Mahal in Mysuru on Saturday after developing an unexpected technical snag during departure.
Prime Minister Modi continued his scheduled transit without interruption. When the malfunction halted the aircraft, security teams transferred the Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation to one of the two remaining convoy helicopters to execute the onward flight.
The aircraft stayed behind on the tarmac.
A three-helicopter IAF flight unit touched down at the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar helipad at roughly 3:20 pm on Friday, ferrying the Prime Minister into Mysuru for the official launch of the COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium. The mechanical complication surfaced shortly after the event concluded, precisely as flight crews prepared the fleet for takeoff.
Technicians detected the issue before the aircraft lifted off. Flight controllers aborted departure for the affected helicopter, prioritizing perimeter safety and protocol redundancy.
Specialist IAF technical personnel arrived at the helipad hours later to pinpoint the malfunction and carry out urgent repairs. Local authorities moved swiftly to insulate the perimeter. Mysuru city police established an armed cordon encircling the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar facility, while personnel from the Mysuru City Corporation deployed to maintain logistical and physical containment around the sensitive asset.
Neither military officials nor civil administrators have issued a formal disclosure specifying the exact mechanical failure or setting a timeline for the aircraft's departure clearance.
| Movement Parameter | Operational Status |
|---|---|
| Convoy Fleet Size | 3 IAF Helicopters |
| Incident Location | Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Helipad, Lalit Mahal, Mysuru |
| Touchdown Timeline | Friday, 3:20 PM |
| Mission Status | Primary VIP transit completed via standby aircraft |
| Ground Security | Mysuru Police cordon and Municipal Corporation deployment |
| Aircraft Status | Under active mechanical inspection by IAF technicians |
Prime Minister Modi visited Karnataka to launch and dedicate infrastructure packages totaling over ₹15,600 crore spanning Bengaluru and Mysuru. The day began at Prashanti Kutiram, where the Prime Minister addressed the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana campus.
Hours later in Bengaluru, he flagged off operations on the Bengaluru Metro Pink Line, boarding a train for an official transit run between Tavarekere and IIM Bangalore before unveiling regional capital works.
Following the stop in Mysuru for the COSMOS Planetarium launch, the Prime Minister flew westward to Banaskantha in Gujarat, offering prayers at the Ambaji Temple—one of the 51 revered Shakti Peethas.
Defense technical crews will clear the helicopter for departure once engine diagnostic evaluations and safety ground runs conclude at the Mysuru helipad.