An army helicopter crashed in Nagaland on Wednesday killing three officers, including the pilot and co-pilot.
The chopper was trapped in bad weather in the valley 8 km ahead of Jakhama and crashed, an army communique said. The helicopter was on a routine training sortie.
The incident occurred around 8.50 am on a hilltop near Dzukou Valley, 30 km south of Nagaland capital Kohima. The copter, villagers said, was flying low and hit the tip of the hill.
Defence officials said the four-seater Cheetah helicopter took off from the army's 3 Corps headquarters in Dimapur, Nagaland, at 7.50 am en route to Imphal in Manipur. It lost contact with the ground staff around 8.50 am.
"The helicopter was on a routine sortie. There were three persons on board that included the pilot, co-pilot and an officer," said defence spokesman Colonel R.K. Palta. "An inquiry has been ordered."
The bodies of the three officers — Colonel P.K. Pal, Major Nikhil Rana, Major Rakesh Sharma — were recovered. They were sent to Naga Hospital Kohima for post-mortem.
The army has ordererd a court of inquiry. GOC 3 Corps expressed grief over the incident.
{{/usCountry}}The army has ordererd a court of inquiry. GOC 3 Corps expressed grief over the incident.
{{/usCountry}}Scattered villagers near Dzukou Valley said they informed the police after spotting the debris.
Army helicopters, they said, fly regularly past their villages, but this chopper was flying very low.