Helicopter on way to Port Blair crashes into sea after take-off

A helicopter operated by Pawan Hans crashed into the sea near Mayabunder in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Tuesday morning, shortly before landing. The aircraft, carrying two crew members and five passengers, ditched into the water around 300 metres short of the runway. All seven on board were rescued safely and no injuries were reported.

According to a spokesperson, the helicopter had taken off from Port Blair and experienced what was described as a “short landing incident” near Mayabunder at around 9:30 am. Officials aware of the development said the aircraft went down while attempting to land. Emergency response teams acted swiftly to evacuate the passengers and crew from the sea.

Authorities confirmed that everyone on board was accounted for and safe. The circumstances leading to the ditching are expected to be examined as part of standard aviation safety procedures. Operations at the location were temporarily affected following the incident.

The crash comes a day after a Beechcraft C90 air ambulance operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd went down in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, killing all seven people on board. The aircraft was operating a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to Delhi when it lost communication and crashed.

While Tuesday’s helicopter incident did not result in casualties, it has added to concerns following back-to-back aviation accidents. Officials are likely to review operational and safety aspects in light of the recent developments.