New Delhi:
Three Indian Army officers had a narrow escape after their helicopter crashed in the mountainous Tangste region near Leh in Ladakh.
The chopper, part of the ageing Cheetah fleet, was carrying a Lieutenant Colonel and two majors and crashed on May 20, with the officials confirming the news this morning.
A Lieutenant Colonel and a Major were piloting the single-engine chopper, while Major General Sachin Mehta, the general officer commanding of the 3rd Infantry Division, was on board as a passenger.
All three sustained minor injuries.
A selfie of Major General Mehta after the crash has gone viral on social media.
Their survival was dubbed a “miracle” given the challenging mountainous environment and the operational demands on the ageing Cheetah fleet.
An official enquiry has been ordered into the cause of the incident.
Leh Crash Adds To Cheetah Helicopter’s Worries
The latest crash has reignited debate over the safety of the Cheetah helicopters, which were first made available in the 1970s.
These choppers, which were also part of Operation Meghdoot in 1984 to fight Pakistani soldiers in the Siachen Glacier, have been involved in various accidents in the past few years.
Many pilots have also lost their lives in these crashes.
The fleet is now being gradually phased out and being replaced with the Naval Utility Helicopter, an indigenous light utility helicopter (LUH) manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The army has reportedly already ordered six limited-series-production LUHs, designed to reach a top speed of 220 kmph, a service ceiling of 6.5 km, and an operational range of 350 km.
The Cheetah, a five-seater helicopter, is considered one of the best high-altitude flying choppers in the world.