2 Army officers killed in Arunachal chopper crash; court of inquiry ordered

Two Indian Army officers, a pilot and a co-pilot, were killed after an army helicopter crashed in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday, army officials said

Updated on: Mar 16, 2023, 18:46:25 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Two Indian Army officers, a pilot and a co-pilot, were killed after an army helicopter crashed in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday, army officials said.

Remains of Indian Army helicopter that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday (Twitter Photo)

The deceased have been identified as Lt Col. VVVB Reddy and Major Jayanth A.

“With regret, we inform that the pilot and the co-pilot of the helicopter, lost their lives in the accident,” said Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, public relations officer, defence, Guwahati.

Lt Rawat said that soon after knowing of the incident, the army launched five search parties comprising the Indian Army, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indo-Tibetian Border Police (ITBP). The wreckage of the aircraft was found near Banglajaap village, east of Mandala, he added.

Meanwhile, according to army officials, a court of inquiry has been ordered to probe the incident.

According to an army release, an Indian Army Cheetah helicopter, flying an operational sortie near Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh, was reported to have lost contact with air traffic control (ATC) on Thursday morning around 9.15am.

In October last year, an Indian army helicopter crashed in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh killing all five personnel on board.

According to the army, the helicopter HAL Rudra, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), was on a regular sortie after taking off from Likabali in the Lower Siang district when it crashed in a remote area with thick tree cover.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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