05 January,2025 07:05 PM IST | Porbandar | Prasun Choudhari
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An advanced light helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) crashed in Porbandar, Gujarat during a routine training sortie (a flight that an aircraft undertakes during military operations, such as training or combat).
According to Bhagrithsinh Jadeja, Superintendent of Police (SP) Porbandar, "The Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed at 12:10 PM during landing near the runway of Porbandar airport and caught fire. The blaze was brought under control with the help of a fire tender. At the time of the incident, two pilots and an aircrew driver were present in the helicopter. All three were rescued and admitted to nearby hospital but unfortunately all three of the crew members did not survive. It was a routine sortie of the coast guard."
According to SP, all three crew members on board were pronounced dead after being rescued and admitted to a nearby hospital.
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The crew members killed in the accident are Commandant Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav and Manoj Pradhan Navik, according to the defence ministry.
"The ICG helicopter, with two pilots and one aircrew diver, was on a routine training sortie," the ministry said in a statement, adding that after the incident, the crew were taken to a government hospital, Porbandar, where they were declared brought dead.
The reasons leading to the incident are being investigated by a Board of Inquiry.
"The mortal remains of the crew namely Commandant (JG) Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav and Manoj Pradhan Navik will be cremated as per service traditions and honour," the ministry said.
The incident comes four months after the ICG's ALH MK-III helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2 last year, killing three crew members.
The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) is a twin engine, multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter in the 5.5 ton weight class.
More than 340 Dhruv helicopters have been produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd so far.
(With PTI inputs)
