The Indian Air Force (IAF) Apache helicopter conducted an air emergency landing in the Ladakh region after suffering damage from the rocky surface and high altitude, according to the IAF commander. The accident happened on Wednesday, and fortunately, the crew were not hurt.
The IAF has initiated a Court of Inquiry to investigate the event. “An IAF Apache helicopter conducted a precautionary landing during an operational training mission in Ladakh on April 3. While landing, it suffered damage due to the challenging terrain and high elevation,” stated the IAF.
The pilots of the downed plane were safely picked up to the nearest airbase. The finding of the Court of Inquiry will inform why the incident happened. This event transpired after some of the drills were executed which involved IAFs Chinook, Mi-17, and ALH helicopters landing on another highway segment situated between Kashmir and mainland India that is a sign of providing an Airfield Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) for the very first time in Jammu and Kashmir.
In the penultimate signed mission, two Chinooks, made in the USA, and one Mi-17 from Russia joined two ALH, both made in India which all successfully touched down on the IW stretch of the Important National Highway. Chinook helicopters that are most famous for their high speed and heavy-lift capacity can be used for transportation and medical evacuation, and force deployments.
The Mi-17 helicopters, capable of transporting troops up to 35 in each, are twinned with other means of transport to swiftly and safely during disasters. The Mi-17 helicopters, which can carry up to 35 troops in each aircraft, are critical in emergency relief and rescue operations during natural disasters. This realistic simulation highlights the IAF’s determination to stay prepared and perform under critical conditions such as Ladakh.
Check here for the latest updates in Hindi!