Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter makes precautionary landing in Punjab due to technical snag

A Chinook helicopter of the Indian Air Force made a precautionary landing in an open field in Punjab around the Barnala area due to a technical snag. The crew and the chopper are safe: IAF officials.

The helicopter landed on an open ground in the Dhadrian village of Longowal in Sangrur around 1 pm, a police official said, adding both crew members and the helicopter were safe.

The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel.

It is also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.

India had finalised a contract in September 2015 to procure 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinook choppers from the US at a cost of around USD 3 billion.