By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: A mechanical failure is suspected to have led to the crash of the Army’s advanced light helicopter (ALH) in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.
Defence sources said prior to the crash, the Air Traffic Control had received a May Day call, suggesting a technical or mechanical failure. The sources said this would form the focus of the Court of Inquiry, ordered immediately after the incident.
“It is reported that the weather was good for flying operations. The pilots had more than 600 combined flying hours on ALH-WSI and over 1,800 service flying hours between them. The aircraft was inducted into service in June 2015,” a defence statement said.
The helicopter with five personnel onboard had taken off from Likabali in the state and crashed at Migging, south of Tuting, at 10:43 am.
Joint teams of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force located the crash site soon after. Defence sources said the terrain at the crash site is extremely challenging. There are hills with steep gradients and thick jungle.
The bodies of four personnel were retrieved on Friday and efforts were on to recover the mortal remains of the fifth person.
ALSO READ| Arunachal helicopter crash: Search on for fifth Army personnel, probe ordered
Defence authorities said the names of the personnel would be released after “notification” to the next of kin.
“The Indian Army offers deepest condolences and stands firmly with the bereaved families,” the statement added.
This is the second incident of an Army helicopter crash in Arunachal this month. On October 5, a Cheetah helicopter had crashed in a forward area near Tawang, killing one pilot and injuring another pilot.
GUWAHATI: A mechanical failure is suspected to have led to the crash of the Army’s advanced light helicopter (ALH) in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.
Defence sources said prior to the crash, the Air Traffic Control had received a May Day call, suggesting a technical or mechanical failure. The sources said this would form the focus of the Court of Inquiry, ordered immediately after the incident.
“It is reported that the weather was good for flying operations. The pilots had more than 600 combined flying hours on ALH-WSI and over 1,800 service flying hours between them. The aircraft was inducted into service in June 2015,” a defence statement said.
The helicopter with five personnel onboard had taken off from Likabali in the state and crashed at Migging, south of Tuting, at 10:43 am.
Joint teams of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force located the crash site soon after. Defence sources said the terrain at the crash site is extremely challenging. There are hills with steep gradients and thick jungle.
The bodies of four personnel were retrieved on Friday and efforts were on to recover the mortal remains of the fifth person.
ALSO READ| Arunachal helicopter crash: Search on for fifth Army personnel, probe ordered
Defence authorities said the names of the personnel would be released after “notification” to the next of kin.
“The Indian Army offers deepest condolences and stands firmly with the bereaved families,” the statement added.
This is the second incident of an Army helicopter crash in Arunachal this month. On October 5, a Cheetah helicopter had crashed in a forward area near Tawang, killing one pilot and injuring another pilot.
