{"id":28928,"date":"2017-10-06T13:40:48","date_gmt":"2017-10-06T08:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/?p=28928"},"modified":"2017-10-06T13:41:48","modified_gmt":"2017-10-06T08:11:48","slug":"iaf-helicopter-crashes-near-indo-china-border-arunachal-7-personnel-board-feared-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/india-news\/iaf-helicopter-crashes-near-indo-china-border-arunachal-7-personnel-board-feared-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"IAF helicopter crashes near Indo-China border in Arunachal, all 7 personnel on-board feared dead"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident, second such incident since July this year<\/em><\/p>\n

A day after Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa expressed concern over armed forces facing losses during peace time, an Mi-17 chopper of the IAF crashed in Chuna area of Arunachal Pradesh early\u00a0on Friday<\/span>\u00a0morning, killing all five air force personnel and two Indian Army officials on board.<\/p>\n

Reports flashed by various new agencies had earlier claimed that there were six personnel on-board the IAF chopper of which five had been confirmed dead while the lone survivor was critically injured. However, shortly after\u00a0noon<\/span>, news agency IANS claimed that there were seven armed forces personnel in the helicopter and that all of them were now feared dead.<\/p>\n

Am IANS report quoted Tawang district Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Meena as saying that \u201call the seven people on board\u201d had been killed. Meena told the news agency that the \u201ccrash site is a forested area\u201d and that the bodies of the personnel killed are being brought to the helipad near Tawang. \u201cWe are told that all (killed) were defence personnel,\u201d Meena said.<\/p>\n

According to reports, the helicopter had taken off from Arunachal\u2019s Tawang sector in the wee hours of\u00a0Friday<\/span>\u00a0to carry out an air maintenance mission in the hilly terrain. However, at around\u00a06 am<\/span>, the chopper reportedly crashed in Chuna area of the state\u2019s Yangtse sector situated around 12 kilometers from the India-China border and 100 kms from Tawang.<\/p>\n

As per protocol, the IAF has ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.<\/p>\n

The Mi-17 V5 is a Russia<\/strong><\/a> made transport helicopter which can carry a substantial pay load to higher altitudes and is considered to be the backbone of the Indian Air Force. Over 100 such helicopters are in service presently and are extensively deployed in rescue operations during natural disasters. The chopper had been most recently deployed in Gujarat and Rajasthan during flood relief operations.<\/p>\n

This is the second incident of an IAF chopper crashing in Arunachal Pradesh<\/strong><\/a> this year. In July, an IAF helicopter had gone missing after it took off from Pilputu Helipad for the Haharlagun heliport. Its wreckage was later found with two mutilated bodies by a search and rescue team.<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0incident comes just a day after Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had expressed concern over armed forces facing losses due to such crashes, among other reasons, during peace time. \u201cOur losses during peace time are cause of concern. We are making concentrated efforts to minimize accidents and preserve our assets,\u201d Dhanoa had said.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"