IAF Orders Enquiry Into Kedarnath Chopper Incident; Here's Why Defective Helicopter Carried By MI-17 Crashed

2024-08-31 05:00:23

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) A significant incident unfolded in Kedarnath on Saturday morning when a defective helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath to Gauchar by an Indian Air Force (IAF) MI-17 chopper crashed near the Mandakini River in Lincholi. The accident, which occurred around 7 am, has led to an immediate enquiry by the IAF.

The helicopter, owned by Crystal Aviation, had been grounded in Kedarnath since May 24 following an emergency landing due to a technical snag. It was being transported to the Gauchar airstrip for repairs when the incident occurred. According to Rudraprayag district tourism officer Rahul Chaubey, the MI-17 began losing balance shortly after takeoff, prompting the pilot to drop the helicopter in a valley.

"The helicopter was being taken to Gauchar by hanging it from the Air Force's MI-17 chopper at around 7 am. As soon as it covered a little distance, the MI-17 started losing balance due to the weight of the helicopter and wind," Chaubey explained.

He added, "Sensing the danger, the pilot dropped the helicopter in the valley after seeing a vacant spot near the Tharu camp."

Thankfully, there were no injuries reported, and the incident was captured on camera.

The Indian Air Forces confirmed that there were no passengers or cargo in the defective helicopter at the time of the crash. The IAF took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the situation: "An #IAF Mi-17 V5, while airlifting damaged Kestrel civil helicopter in Uttarakhand today, had to jettison the load due to flight safety reasons. The crew safely released the load over an unpopulated area, ensuring no damage to life or property. An enquiry has been ordered."

This incident follows the earlier emergency landing of the same helicopter on May 24, during which all seven individuals on board, including pilgrims, were unharmed. The IAF's swift response and the pilot's decisive action to drop the load in an unpopulated area are credited with preventing any injuries or fatalities.

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