Was matter of seconds: Pilot who made rooftop landing

Mumbai: Three seconds. This is how long it would have taken for the Seaking helicopter to disintegrate into pieces had anything gone wrong during a dramatic rooftop landing in Kerala to rescue 26 persons. The video of the thrilling rescue operation by the Navy’s Seaking 42B helicopter at Chalakudy town on Friday has gone viral. The daredevil pilot, while recounting the rescue operation, said the “rooftop low hover in a light on wheels” lasted around eight minutes before the chopper took off again. “I had to decide to go in for the ‘light on wheels’ procedure...It would have taken three to four seconds for the chopper to disintegrate. It was a tough call to make. I am glad we made the right decision,” Lt Commander Abhijeet Garud said. PTI