Mi-17 helicopter crashes- Seven dead

Seven military personnel were killed when an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter crashed near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on October 6th morning. The Mi-17 V5 chopper was on an “air maintenance mission” when it crashed.

The bodies of seven, including the pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and two army officers, have been found at the crash site at Yangchi, 130 km from Tawang town and close to the border with China.

The tragedy took place a day ahead of Air Force Day celebrations. At a press conference yesterday to mark the occasion, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had spoken about a string of air crashes in recent years.”Our losses in the peacetime are a cause of concern. We are making concerted efforts to minimise accidents and preserve our assets,” the Air Chief said.

Meanwhile a court of inquiry has been ordered into the cause of the accident.