CM, Joshi ‘stuck’ in air for 30 mins

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Just two days after the disastrous air crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu which killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Union Minister for Coal, Mining and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi had their share of anxious moments when a private aircraft they were travelling in, was forced to hover in the air for around 30 minutes due to foggy conditions at Hubballi Airport on Friday.

The CM along with Joshi had travelled from Bengaluru Airport in a private aircraft to Hubballi to cast votes in the Legislative Council polls from the local bodies constituencies. The flight was supposed to land at 7:30 am but landing permission was not granted due to the fog all around.The pilot hovered over the airport waiting for the fog to clear and for the message from the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) for a diversion of the flight. But with the weather improving, the ATC gave permission for the flight to land at Hubballi Airport

Bommai and Joshi heaved a sigh of relief after their flight landed safely with the CM leaving for Shiggaon, his Assembly constituency to cast his vote.