The technician, injured in a helicopter crash, succumbed to his injuries in Command Hospital Udhampur where he was shifted along with two pilots after a helicopter of the Army crashed in the Kishtwar area of Jammu and Kashmir.
While confirming the death of the technician, the Army offered its deepest condolences to the bereaved family.
"LtGenUpendraDwivedi, ArmyCdrNC and All Ranks of NorthernCommand offer tribute to the supreme sacrifice of CFN (Avn Tech) Pabballa Anil, in the line of duty during Operational flying of ALH MK III near Kishtwar Jammu Kashmir and offer deepest condolences to the bereaved family", the Army tweeted from the official Twitter handle of the Northern Command.
#LtGenUpendraDwivedi, #ArmyCdrNC & All Ranks #NorthernCommand offer tribute to supreme sacrifice of CFN (Avn Tech) Pabballa Anil, in the line of duty during Operational flying of ALH MK III near #Kishtwar #JammuKashmir & offer deepest condolences to the bereaved family@adgpi pic.twitter.com/gsHxwEvRiE
— NORTHERN COMMAND - INDIAN ARMY (@NorthernComd_IA) May 4, 2023
An Army helicopter crashed after a "hard landing" in a forested area in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday following a technical fault. Three persons including two pilots and one technician were on board.
The advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv on an operational mission came down on the banks of a river in the Marwah area, cut off from the district headquarters due to heavy snow.
"At about 1115 hours on 04 May 2023, an Army Aviation ALH Dhruv helicopter on an operational mission made a precautionary landing on the banks of Marua river in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir," the Udhampur-based Northern Command said in a statement.
The injured were evacuated to the command hospital in Udhampur, the Army said. Defence sources said the technician succumbed to his injuries, while the pilots were "stable". Locals in the area rushed to the site and helped rescue the injured men.
The wreckage of the helicopter was found on the banks of the river, said Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Khalil Ahmad Poswal. He had earlier put the time of the incident at around 10.35 am.
Court of inquiry ordered
An official statement attributable to the headquarters of the Northern Command mentioned that a court of inquiry has been ordered and further details are being ascertained. The pilots had reported a technical fault to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and proceeded for a precautionary landing, it said.
"Due to the undulating ground, undergrowth, and unprepared landing area, the helicopter apparently made a hard landing. Immediate rescue operations were launched and Army rescue teams reached the site," the statement said.
For people in the area, helicopters are the only mode of transport during winter. Helicopters are also the only source of supplies, including rations.
