BackIAF Mi-17 helicopter crashes near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, 7 dead
IAF says all the 7 personnel on board the Mi-17 helicopter died, court of inquiry ordered
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New Delhi: An Indian airforce helicopter crashed in a remote mountain region near the border with China on Friday, killing all seven personnel on board, officials said.
The Russian-made Mi-17 helicopter was ferrying military officials to a forward post in Arunachal Pradesh, defence spokesman Suneet Newton said.
“The Mi-17 V5 chopper crashed at around 6 am when it was on an air maintenance mission", the IAF official said.
The cause of crash was not known immediately. “A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," the official said.
At least one person from the Army was on board the chopper and two IAF pilots were believed to be among those killed in the crash, official sources said.
People familiar with the matter said rescue teams reached the site within hours after the crash and brought the injured person to a local hospital in Tawang.
“Our losses in the peacetime are a cause of concern. We are making concerted efforts to minimise accidents and preserve our assets," Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa had said on Thursday, referring to a string of crashes of IAF’s choppers and military jets in recent years.
India is trying to modernise its airforce with new planes and helicopters but the procurement process has been slow. The crash comes a day ahead of the Air Force Day which is extensively celebrated by the IAF.
India has also been expanding its military infrastructure in the area to narrow the gap with China which has superior road and air links. Reuters
(PTI contributed to this story)
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