World

Indian military's Cheetah chopper crashes, kills pilot

"The cause of the crash at this stage is not known. Details are being ascertained," reads army statement

By Web Desk
October 05, 2022
The Cheetah helicopters, commissioned by the Indian Air Force are multi-role aircrafts which are used mostly during high-altitude missions. — AFP
The Cheetah helicopters, commissioned by the Indian Air Force are multi-role aircrafts which are used mostly during high-altitude missions. — AFP

A pilot from India's military lost his life in a helicopter crash  in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh near the boundary with China, Indian media reported Wednesday, citing the army.

The Indian army Cheetah helicopter crashed in a forward area near Tawang during a routine flight with two pilots on board, defence spokesperson Col AS Walia was quoted as saying.

Both the pilots were evacuated alive from the wrecked aircraft and shifted to the nearest military hospital but Lieutenant Colonel Saurabh Yadav succumbed to his severe injuries. The other pilot is still undergoing treatment.

"The cause of the crash at this stage is not known. Details are being ascertained," said an army statement cited by NDTV.

This was the second crash incident involving the army's Cheetah chopper in India this year. The first took place in March near the Line of Control in the Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.