The Hindu : Maran flown to Houston

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

National

National

Maran flown to Houston

By T.S. Shankar

The Union Minister, Murasoli Maran, being shifted to the special plane at the Chennai airport early on Thursday. — Photo: M. Moorthy

CHENNAI NOV. 14. The air ambulance jet, specially chartered for flying the Union Commerce Minister, Murasoli Maran, for advanced treatment at Houston, U.S, left here early this morning.

Mr. Maran was taken in an ambulance from the Apollo Hospitals at around 4 a.m. and later shifted to the plane, which was parked at the old Meenambakkam airport.

But the take-off was delayed due to thick fog and "zero visibility" at the runway. The special flight took off at 7-07 a.m., with a total of 12 passengers, including the crew.

As the Commander suggested a reduction in the number of passengers, Mallika Maran, wife of the Union Minister, disembarked at the last minute. Those accompanying Mr.Maran are: Anbukarasi (his daughter), Gopal Parthasarathy, Paul Judge, Ramesh Thangaraj, T. Sridhar, all doctors and a nurse, Srividya Srikanth.

The plane is expected to take about 23 hours, including intermittent stopovers, cruising over Taipei, Russia and Alaska, before reaching Houston, with the Commander deciding to go over the land-base to meet any emergency situation en route, according to airport sources.

En route to the airport, an NDTV crew, which tried to film the Minister being taken in the ambulance, came under attack by DMK cadres.

Stones were thrown at their vehicle when it tried to move close to the ambulance from the opposite side near the DMS office for a closer shot.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National