Indian Army chopper crashes in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar, three injured

An ALH Dhruv helicopter of the Indian Army crashed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtawar district on Thursday. According to the report, three army officers were on board the ill-fated helicopter.

The unpleasant incident took place on the banks of Marua river in Kishtwar district. “The pilots were injured in the helicopter crash but are safe. Further details are awaited,” said an army official, as per reports.

The Indian Army's Northern Command issued a statement saying that the ALH Dhruv helicopter made a precautionary landing at around 11:15 am (IST) at Kishtawar. "According to the inputs, the pilots reported a technical fault to the air traffic controller (ATC) and proceeded to make a precautionary landing. "Due to undulating ground, undergrowth and an unprepared landing pad, the helicopter apparently made a hard landing," it said.

The Northern Command further said that rescue operations were started immediately after the hard landing and all the three injured were shifted to the Army Hospital in Udhampur. "There were two pilots and a technician on board," it said, adding that a court of inquiry had been ordered.

This is not the first time an army helicopter has crashed. In March, a Cheetah helicopter crashed in Arunachal Pradesh's Mandala region, killing two army pilots. The victims have been identified as Lt Col VVB Reddy and Maj Jayanth A, as per  reports. Earlier in October 2022, an Army Advance Light helicopter crashed in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. At least four members of the army were killed in the accident.

All you need to know about ALH Dhruv

Originally designed and developed, the ALH Dhruv has a twin engine. According to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Dhruv is "type certified" for both military and civil operations by the Center for Military Airworthiness Certification (CEMILAC) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A total of 336 choppers were produced from 2001 to 2022.