Tag Archives: helicopter

MI-17 V5 Helicopter Accident

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An Indian Air Force Mi-17 V5 helicopter crashed at around 0659h on 06 Oct 17 after getting airborne from a helipad North of Tawang. This was the second routine air maintenance sortie of the day for the aircraft at a forward area.

The helicopter was carrying supplies to a forward post of the Indian Army in the hilly terrain. The helicopter crashed close to Dropping Zone and caught fire immediately. Seven defence personnel were onboard, included five Indian Air Force personnel Wg Cdr V Upadhyay, Captain of the aircraft, Sqn Ldr S Tewari, Co-pilot, MWO AK Singh, Flt Gnr, Sgt Gautam Kumar Flt Engr, and Sgt Satish Kumar, Flt Gnr and two Army personnel Sep HN Deka and Sep E Balaji, and all of them sustained fatal injuries during the crash. A court of Enquiry has been ordered to establish the cause of the accident.

Rescue of US citizen from Leh by IAF Helicopter

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On 26 Sep 17, the IAF was requested by US Embassy through Ministry of Defence to help in locating and rescue of US citizen Ms Margaret Allen Stone. Ms Stone had set out for trekking in the Ladakh region and had been held up in Zhingchan area at a distance of 75 Km from Leh since 06 Sep 17 due to injury. Her condition had deteriorated during this prolonged period of lack of care. She was in a critical condition. The US Government informed IAF of the situation in the afternoon hours on 26 Sep 17.

IAF responded to the situation with requisite alacrity. Exact location of Ms Stone was ascertained with the help of civil administration and by evening two IAF helicopters were able to locate Ms Stone in the valley. Ms Stone was brought to the safety of Leh hospital for medical care by sunset on 26 Sep 17.