Bengaluru, An Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopter on Sunday showered flowers over the state-run Victoria Hospital in the city centre and its Command Hospital in the eastern suburb, honouring Corona warriors, including doctors, nurses and paramedics.

"The Russian-built Mi-17 took off from the Yelahanka air base in the city's northern suburb at 10.15 a.m. and flew over Victoria Hospital and Command Hospital between 10.30-10.45 a.m., showering rose petals over them from a low height," a defence spokesman told IANS here.

A clear summer sky enabled the pilot to locate the hospitals easily and drop the flower petals on their roofs and around its area.

Maintaining physical distance and wearing masks, doctors, nurses and staff of both hospitals stood in the open ground and cheered the chopper pilot with thumbs up sign for greeting them with flowers on the occasion.

"They all clapped and waved hands to the pilot as the copter flew over the hospitals," the official said.

An IAF band played music at both the hospitals and saluted the Covid warriors in the grounds.

"We are touched by the IAF gesture in honouring our healthcare professionals who have been working day and night over a month-and-half in taking care of Covid patients in the isolated wards," a hospital official told IANS on phone.

A C-130 transport aircraft of the air force will fly over the state secretariat (Vidhana Soudha) later in the afternoon as a tribute to the Covid warriors.