IAF Apache helicopter makes precautionary landing in Punjab’s Pathankot

Pilot, co-pilot safe and no casualty or damage at Haler village that falls under Nangal Bhur police station’s jurisdiction.

An Apache helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) made a precautionary landing at Haler village in the border district of Pathankot on Friday.

Apache helicopters of the Indian Air Force. The precautionary landing by an Apache helicopter due to a technical snag during a routine sortie at Haler village in Punjab’s Pathankot district comes exactly after a week after a similar landing in UP’s Saharanpur. (PTI file photo)

The chopper has now returned to the base after the authorities conducted technical checks, IAF officials said.

The pilot and co-pilot were safe and there was no casualty or damage in the village that falls under the Nangal Bhur police station’s jurisdiction.

Sources said that the chopper had taken off from the local IAF station on a routine sortie when the pilot experienced technical difficulty and decided to undertake a precautionary landing in an open ground of the village.

Residents of the village gathered at the site on seeing the helicopter descending. The area was swiftly cordoned off by security personnel.

The incident comes after another IAF Apache helicopter made a precautionary landing in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur on June 6 due to a technical issue while on a routine sortie.

In April, the Chetak helicopter made a precautionary landing near Jamnagar during a routine training mission, the IAF officials said.