NEW DELHI, March 11: The pilot was killed and the co-pilot seriously injured when an Indian Army Cheetah helicopter crashed on its way to a narrow valley in Gurez Sector in Bandipora in North Kashmir on Friday afternoon.
Official sources said the chopper was on its way to pick up sick BSF personnel when the crash occurred. Rescue operations are underway with teams being despatched on foot while air reconnaissance teams are looking for survivors.
The injured co-pilot has been shifted to a medical facility.
The cause of the crash was not known immediately. According to an official, the chopper was about to land but “drifted away” because of the weather conditions.
Further details are awaited. An official said the ground staff lost communication with the Cheetah helicopter when it was on its way to Gurez’s Tulail area to pick up the sick BSF personnel.
(Manas Dasgupta)