IAF chopper makes forced landing in flood-hit Bihar
An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter, engaged in relief operations in flood-affected Bihar, was forced to make an emergency landing on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred in Naya Gaon, Muzaffarpur while the chopper was distributing food packets. All four IAF personnel onboard, including two officers, were safely rescued following the incident. Bihar has been grappling with severe flooding for several days, affecting over 11 lakh people across the state.
Pilot's quick thinking averts major accident
Pratyaya Amrit, Principal Secretary of the disaster management department, credited the pilot's quick thinking for preventing a potential catastrophe. "A major accident was averted because of the pilot's presence of mind," Amrit stated. He explained that when the engine failed, the pilot ensured that the helicopter landed in shallow waters with no people around.
Rescue operations and medical attention for crew
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) initiated rescue operations as soon as they were alerted about the crash. Amrit confirmed that all personnel have been taken to a hospital for medical attention. The initial rescue was carried out by local residents who were seen in a video trying to retrieve food packets from the partially submerged chopper.
Helicopter model and recent grounding
The helicopter involved in the incident is an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)-Dhruv, used by the Indian Air Force, Army, and Navy. Notably, fleets of these helicopters were recently grounded twice due to technical concerns over certain components. This incident follows another helicopter crash in Pune earlier on Wednesday where two pilots and an engineer lost their lives. The cause of that crash is still being investigated.
