5 killed after IAF chopper Mi 17 V5 crashed in Arunachal Pradesh; Probe ordered

Tawang, October 6: Today in an unfortunate incident an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter Mi 17 V5 crashed in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang area. At least five people, all of the Air Force personnel; have been killed in the crash, which took place around 12 kilometers from the Indo-China border. Seven people, including five officers and 2 Army jawans, were onboard the Mil Mi-17 helicopter when the crash took place. 

One other personnel were critically injured in the crash. The Mi 17 V5 is a transport helicopter and the chopper involved in today’s crash was carrying out an air maintenance mission when it crashed near Tawang at 6 am. The Indian Air Force has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the crash in order to ascertain the cause. Rescue teams reached the crash site in Tawang near the Indo-China border and admitted the injured personnel to a local hospital.

The Russian Mil Mi-17 helicopter has served as one of the mainstays of the Air Force's rotorcraft fleet. It is used in a wide range of terrains and operations, including relief and rescue missions. The crash comes days after a trainee IAF aircraft crashed last week in in Keesara in Hyderabad. There were no casualties in that accident. The plane had broken into flames but all three onboard were ejected safely. There were three people, including the pilot, inside the flight when it crashed.