Picture credits; PTI
Gujarat: A fiery crash at Porbandar Airport in Gujarat on January 5th, claimed the lives of three Indian Coast Guard personnel when their Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv went down during a training flight
The incident occurred around 12:15 PM local time as the helicopter was attempting to land. Upon impact, the aircraft caught fire. Emergency responders promptly transported the severely injured crew members to a local hospital, where they were later declared deceased.
The crew comprised two pilots and one aircrew diver. The deceased have been identified as Commandant Saurabh, Deputy Commandant S.K. Yadav, and Navik Manoj Pradhan. Their remains will be honored with cremation according to service traditions.
The ALH Dhruv, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-mission new-generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class. It has been in service with the Indian armed forces since 2002. Despite its versatility, the helicopter has experienced several accidents attributed to factors ranging from human error to technical issues.
In September of last year, the ALH MK-III helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar, leaving three crew members missing. Two crew members’ bodies were later found, but Rakesh Kumar Rana, the mission’s pilot in command, was still being looked for.
The Coast Guard retrieved the pilot’s body off the Gujarat coast in October, after a month-long search.
The helicopter crashed while attempting to evacuate an injured man from the motor tanker Hari Leela, roughly 30 miles away from Porbandar.
Two years ago, a series of problems were discovered in the ALH Dhruv helicopter, which is used by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Certain design and metallurgical flaws in several components were discovered. The investigation was conducted following incidents involving the platform, which led the Army and Indian Air Force to halt their fleets.
Following the conclusion of the safety audit, the grounded helicopters resumed service.
In response to the crash, the Indian Coast Guard has initiated a Board of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the accident. This incident adds to a series of accidents involving the ALH Dhruv helicopters in recent years, prompting concerns about the aircraft’s safety record.
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