Following reports that one of the helicopters carrying four aircrew members, including two pilots, had to make an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Porbandar on Monday night while conducting a rescue operation, the Indian Coast Guard has initiated a massive search and rescue effort.
Although one diver has been found, efforts to find the other diver and the two pilots are still underway. The diver’s condition after being pulled out of the water seems to be stable.
According to the Indian Coast Guard, the incident happened as the chopper was getting closer to the vessel to evacuate people. Four ships and two aircraft have been called into search and rescue operations by the Coast Guard.
“After receiving a request from the vessel’s master, the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which saved 67 lives during the recent cyclonic weather in Gujarat, was launched yesterday at around 2300 hours for the medical evacuation of a seriously injured crew onboard Indian Flagged Motor Tanker Hari Leela, about 45 km from Porbandar into the sea,” the Indian Coast Guard said in a statement.
“ICG ALH helicopter, carrying four aircrew, was reportedly forced to make an emergency landing at sea during the aforementioned operation. The search is underway for the three crew members who are still missing after one was recovered. Wreckage from aircraft has been located. As the helicopter approached the vessel to begin the evacuation, the incident took place. As of right now, the ICG has requested four ships and two airplanes for search operations,” it added.
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