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Arunachal Crash: Search, Rescue Ops Ends With Recovery Of 5th Body

By LokMarg 22nd October 2022

With the recovery of the fifth and last body, the search and rescue mission in the October 21 helicopter crash in Arunachal Pradesh has concluded, an Army spokesperson said on Saturday.

The Indian army and Air Force Saturday ended searches after the mortal remains of fifth army personnel, on board the advanced light helicopter (AHL) that crashed on Friday was retrieved, the Public Relation Officer (PRO) (Tezpur) said today.
As per reports, three columns of army personnel were conducting the operation on foot, while one MI17 and two ALH choppers were pressed into service to trace the personnel.

The Indian Army Aviation Advance Light Helicopter (Weapon Systems Integrated) – ALH WSI based at Likabali (Assam), with five personnel on board had on Friday crashed at 10:43 am near Singging village, 25 kilometers away from the Tuting headquarters in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.

The chopper had taken off from Likabali in the Lower Siang district.

Earlier the defense PRO had said that the mortal remains of the four military personnel were recovered and one was reported missing in the crash.

A court of inquiry constituted to probe the crash will focus on the ‘May Day’ call received by Air Traffic Control (ATC) suggesting a technical or mechanical failure on the chopper, officials said.

“Prior to the crash, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) had received a MAYDAY call suggesting a technical or mechanical failure,” the release said. “This will form the focus of the Court of Inquiry, which has been immediately constituted to investigate the causes of the accident,” read a statement by the Defence PRO.

Previously on October 5 this year, an Indian Army pilot died in a Cheetah helicopter crash near the Tawang area of Arunachal Pradesh. (ANI)

Arunachal Crash: May Day Call To Be Army’s Focus; 4 Bodies Retrieved

By LokMarg 22nd October 2022

A court of inquiry constituted to probe the October 21 crash of the army helicopter, with five personnel onboard, in Arunachal Pradesh will focus on the ‘May Day’ call received by Air Traffic Control (ATC) suggesting a technical or mechanical failure on the chopper, officials said.

An Indian Army Aviation Advance Light Helicopter (Weapon Systems Integrated) – ALH WSI based at Likabali (Assam) crashed at general area Migging (South of Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh) at 1043 am on October 21. The chopper had taken off from Likabali in the Lower Siang district.
Immediate joint search operations with teams from the Army and Air Force located the crash site, where the terrain is extremely challenging in terms of hills with steep gradients and thick jungle.

“Four mortal remains have been retrieved by late evening of 21 October 2022. As per latest reports, efforts are on to retrieve the fifth mortal remains,” according to an update provided by Public Relations Officer (Defence) Guwahati on Saturday.

The PRO in a statement said that the pilots had more than 600 combined flying hours on the Advance Light Helicopter (Weapon Systems Integrated) and over 1800 service flying hours between them.

Earlier on October 5 this year, an Indian Army pilot lost his life in a Cheetah helicopter crash near the Tawang area of Arunachal Pradesh.

“The Cheetah helicopter flying in forward areas near Tawang crashed at around 10:00 AM during a routine sortie. Both the pilots were evacuated to the nearest Military Hospital,” Army officials had said. (ANI)

IAF Jets Scrambled, Bomb Threat On China-Bound Iranian Plane Over India

By LokMarg 3rd October 2022

Indian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to intercept an aircraft with its origin in Iran and headed to China, which was moving towards New Delhi airspace.

According to sources, inputs were received at 9:20 am by Delhi Police about a bomb threat on board a Mahan Air flight headed to Guangzhou in China from Tehran in Iran.
It triggered an alert and permission was not granted for the plane to land in Delhi and the plane was instructed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to divert to Jaipur. Reportedly the pilot refused to divert the plane following which Indian Air Force jets were scrambled to intercept and escort the plane.

The aircraft was headed to China as its final destination, had entered Indian airspace when the alert from Indian Air Traffic Control was shared with the plane. Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jets from Punjab and Jodhpur airbases were scrambled to intercept the plane, sources told ANI.

Data from Filghtradar24 showed the plane reducing altitude over the Delhi-Jaipur airspace for a brief period before it was seen making its way out of Indian airspace.

According to ATC sources, Mahan Air requested for immediate landing at Delhi airport but Delhi ATC directed it to head to Jaipur Airport. The pilots of the Iranian carrier did not do so and eventually left Indian airspace.

The nature of the bomb threat is still unclear.

The plane was seen continuing on its flight path towards China. (ANI)