Arunachal Helicopter Crash: Army Pays Obeisance To Military Personnel In Tezpur

The Indian Army on Friday paid obeisance with full military honours at Tezpur to the mortal remains of Lt Col VVB Reddy and Major Jayanth A of Army Aviation, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty on Thursday morning while on an operational sortie in Arunachal Pradesh.  

Lt col Mahendra Rawat (PRO) Defence Guwahati in a press statement said, “Wreath was laid on behalf of a grateful nation for the untiring service to the nation by the officers. The mortal remains have been moved to their home towns Yadadri (near Hyderabad), Telangana and Madurai, Tamilnadu in a Special Military Plane.”  

Notably, an Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter flying an operational sortie near Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh lost contact with the ATC at around 09:15 AM on Thursday.  

The bodies of two military personnel, both the pilot and the co pilot of the Cheetah helicopter that crashed in Arunachal Pradesh were recovered after five search parties of Indian Army, SSB and ITBP were immediately launched.  

As per the Indian Army report, the wreckage of the aircraft was found near village Banglajaap East of Mandala.  

“With regret we inform that the pilot and the co pilot of the helicopter lost their lives in the accident. A court of enquiry is being ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident,” Lt col Mahendra Rawat said in his previous press statement.  

It may also be mentioned that such incidents of helicopter crash in Arunachal Pradesh are quiet frequent. 

Last year in the month of October 21, an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) had crashed at Migging village in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district.

Following the incident, a search operation to trace the missing occupants was initiated. 

Two bodies of military personnel were recovered, while, the mortal remains of two more military personnel were recovered later on the same date. 

The search operation for the one remaining personnel continued till next day.  

With the recovery of the fifth and last body, the search and rescue mission in the October 21 helicopter crash in Arunachal Pradesh has concluded on October 22. 

Similarly, an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopter crash-landed in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday.  

As per reports, two pilots and three crew members were on-board the helicopter. Luckily, all of them were reported safe. 

The incident took place when the helicopter was carrying out an air maintenance sortie in eastern Arunachal Pradesh.  

Also Read: Arunachal Helicopter Crash: 2 Pilots Found Dead, Court of Enquiry Ordered