Kochi: A helicopter carrying seven people including NRI businessman M A Yusuf Ali crash-landed at a marshy land near here on Sunday morning, police said here.

All passengers including Yusuf Ali, his wife and three staff members of his Lulu Group and two crew members on board the chopper owned by Lulu Group have been admitted to a private hospital here.

"All of them are safe. They are currently under observation," a top official of the Lakeshore hospital where they are treated told P T I.

The incident occurred at Panangad area at around 8.30 AM on Sunday. A major accident was averted as the chopper crash landed in a marshy land, locals said.

 

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Mangaluru: Hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district are facing a severe shortage of blood in their blood banks, creating a challenging situation for both patients and healthcare providers.

Over the past 15 days, the shortage has worsened, making it difficult for patients in need of regular dialysis or those suffering from heavy blood loss due to accidents to get timely treatment. Relatives of patients have reportedly been struggling to arrange for blood.

The summer holidays in schools and colleges, coupled with ongoing exams, have led to a sharp decline in voluntary blood donations, particularly from students. As a result, blood donation camps are currently not being organized, further aggravating the crisis.

In response, blood banks across the district have begun awareness campaigns to address the shortfall. Wenlock District Hospital, which usually maintains higher reserves than other facilities, is also experiencing a drop in blood collection for the first time.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, while donation drives were reduced, Wenlock Hospital managed to avoid a crisis. However, officials now confirm that this is the first time such a severe shortage has hit the facility.

There are 13 blood banks in the district, and all are currently facing shortages. Some banks follow a return policy, where recipients must replenish the blood they receive. At the Red Cross blood bank, blood is available upon payment of a fixed fee, and even there, the shortage is now apparent.

Wenlock Hospital, which typically collects around 300 units of blood, has seen its reserves fall drastically to just 90 units, the first time it has dropped to double digits.

Noticing the crisis, blood donor Siddique from Manjeshwar and his team stepped in to support the cause. On Sunday, they provided 20 units of blood to Wenlock Hospital’s blood bank, confirmed Dr. Sharath Kumar, the hospital’s blood bank officer.