AHMEDABAD: Following a month after an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast, the missing pilot’s body has been recovered, officials confirmed on Friday.The ALH MK-III helicopter, carrying three crew members, plunged into the sea near Porbandar on September 2. While the bodies of two crew members were recovered shortly after the crash, an extensive search operation continued for the pilot in command, Rakesh Kumar Rana. His body was finally located, bringing the search to a close.The Indian Coast Guard announced that the body was recovered from the sea on October 10, approximately 55 km southwest of Porbandar. The discovery marks the conclusion of an extensive search operation following last month’s helicopter crash.The Indian Coast Guard, in collaboration with the Indian Navy and other agencies, conducted relentless search efforts to locate Rakesh, the pilot in command of the ill-fated mission.In a statement, the ICG confirmed that Rana’s mortal remains will be cremated with full military honors, adhering to service traditions. They also paid tribute to the three brave personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty.The accident occurred when the Coast Guard’s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), carrying four crew members, crashed while attempting to evacuate an injured man aboard the motor tanker Hari Leela, approximately 30 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast.Of the four crew members aboard, diver Gautam Kumar was rescued immediately after the crash, while three others went missing. The following day, the bodies of pilot Vipin Babu and diver Karan Singh were recovered. However, the search for Commandant Rakesh Kumar Rana continued, sparking a massive operation.According to the Coast Guard’s release, more than 70 air sorties and 82 ship days, involving multiple vessels, were deployed in the extensive search efforts conducted by the Coast Guard and Indian Navy.
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