An Indian Coast Guard ALH. (File photo for representation.)
New Delhi: An Indian Coast Guard advanced light helicopter (ALH) crashed into the Arabian Sea late during an emergency evacuation mission, on Tuesday night. The helicopter, which was attempting to evacuate an injured crew member from the motor tanker, Hari Leela, encountered difficulties and was forced to make an emergency landing approximately 30 nautical miles (around 34.5 miles or 55.56 kilometres) off the coast of Porbandar, Gujarat.
According to the Coast Guard, the ALH, carrying four crew members, made a hard landing and subsequently sank into the sea. The Coast Guard promptly launched a search-and-rescue operation by deploying four ships and two aircraft to locate the missing chopper and personnel.
One crew member was successfully rescued from the crash site on Tuesday night itself. However, the bodies of two other crew members, including one of the pilots, were recovered on Wednesday. The deceased have been identified as Commandant Vipin Babu, pilot, and Navik Karan Singh, diver. The search for the fourth crew member, another pilot, is still ongoing.
Sad & tragic news coming, we have lost
— @Rahi Irfan (@Rahiirfan7) September 4, 2024
COMMANDANT VIPIN BABU
NAVIK KARAN SINGH#IndianCoastGuard
in an ALH crash in the Arabia sea. Almighty gives strength to their families to bear this irreparable loss.
One pilot is still missing.#Bravehearts pic.twitter.com/6hDVUYXtRr
The cause of the crash remains unknown at this time. The ALH, also known as HAL Dhruv, is a twin-engine utility helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The helicopter has been involved in several accidents in recent years, raising concerns about its safety record.
The Coast Guard has expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and assured that all efforts are being made to locate the missing crew member. In a statement, it said the search operation is still going on, with aircraft and ships scanning the area for any signs of the missing pilot. The Coast Guard also said it has initiated a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash and to prevent such incidents in the future.
