An Aviation technician, among the three members on board a helicopter witnessing a crash in Kishtwar Thursday afternoon, has succumbed to his injuries, official said.
In a tweet, Northern Command Indian Army wrote, “#LtGenUpendraDwivedi, #ArmyCdrNC & All Ranks #NorthernCommand offer tribute to supreme sacrifice of CFN (Avn Tech) Pabballa Anil, in the line of duty during Operational flying of ALH MK III near #Kishtwar #JammuKashmir & offer deepest condolences to the bereaved family.”
Earlier a defence spokesperson said that three army personnel, including two pilots and a technician, sustained injuries after an Army Aviation ALH Dhruv helicopter on an operational mission crashed while making a ‘precautionary landing’ on the banks of Marua river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar.
“According to an official statement by the Northern Command, Army ALH Dhruv Helicopter made the precautionary landing in the Marwah area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar Thursday morning. The pilots had reported a technical fault to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and proceeded for ‘precautionary landing’ at about 11.15 hours on May 4.”
“Due to the undulating ground, undergrowth and unprepared landing area, the helicopter apparently made a hard landing”, the statement read.
“Immediate rescue operations were launched and Army rescue teams reached the site,” it reads.
As per the statement, there were two pilots and a technician on board. “All three injured personnel have been evacuated to Command Hospital, Udhampur,” the statement added.
The statement further said that a ‘Court of Inquiry’ has been ordered on the matter.
