Army helicopter crashes in Arunachal Pradesh; 4 bodies found

• Image Credit: Google

• Oct 21, 2022 | Dhupali Das

Digital Desk: Four bodies were recovered from the site where an army helicopter carrying five people crashed in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district on Friday. Reportedly, an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) with a weapon system integrated crashed near Migging village. The crash site is not accessible by road, but three aerial rescue teams were deployed to the scene, the army sources said, adding that two had reached the site.

After taking off from Likabali this morning, the chopper carrying army soldiers was on a regular sortie. The crash occurred at 10:43 a.m.

As there are no motorable roads going to the village, except for a hanging bridge, three joint teams of the army and air force are engaged in the rescue operation using one Mi-17 and two Dhruv helicopters. Local residents are also claimed to be helping with the rescue efforts.

"Received very disturbing news about the Indian Army's Advanced Light Helicopter crash in Upper Siang District in Arunachal Pradesh. My deepest prayers," wrote Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Twitter.

This is the second helicopter crash in Arunachal Pradesh in October. Earlier this month, a pilot was killed and three others were injured when a Cheetah helicopter crashed in Tawang.

The ALH (WSI), also known as the Rudra Mark IV, is a powerful attack helicopter designed and built by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to perform extremely specific duties in the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

The Indian Army's aviation wing has been deploying the Weapon System Integrated (WSI) variant of the Advanced Light Helicopter Rudra in the region, adding more teeth to its tactical missions in view of the lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

According to official data, 31 individuals died in incidents involving 15 military helicopters between March 2017 and December 2021, including four ALH, four Cheetah, two ALH (WSI), three Mi-17V5, a Mi-17, and a Chetak.

The total number of deaths in the 15 accidents included 14 people killed in the December 8, 2021 crash near Coonoor. The crash killed then-Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika, and 12 armed forces members.

Seven helicopters each from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force were involved in accidents during the period, while one was from the Navy.