Coast guard chopper on training sortie flies over Sabarimala in Kerala; ICG says due to bad weather

The file photo shows devotees arriving at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. Sabarimala Sannidhanam has been notified as a special security zone by the Kerala government. | Photo Credit: PTI

An Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter on a routine training flight from Kochi around noon on Thursday, April 23, 2026, reportedly deviated from the planned route and flew over the Pamba hills, where the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple is located, following inclement weather conditions.

The unusual sight reportedly prompted people to take videos of the helicopter ‘flying low’ over the Sabarimala temple shrine, a high-security area.

It was published – 24 April 2026 13:56 IST