Indian Coast Guard chopper crashes in Gujarat’s Porbandar during training sortie killing 3 crew members

It said the mishap happened at around 12.15 pm when the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) was on a routine training sortie.

“Immediately post incident, the crew were recovered and shifted to Government Hospital, Porbandar, where they were declared brought dead. The reasons leading to the incident are being investigated by a Board of Inquiry,” the statement said.

“The Mortal remains of the crew viz. Commandant (JG) Saurabh, TM, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav and Manoj Pradhan Navik will be cremated as per service traditions and honour,” the Coast Guard said.

Officers from Udyognagar police station said they have registered a case of accidental death and sent the bodies for an autopsy.

Porbandar SP Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said: “The chopper was returning and trying to land when the incident occurred near a runway. Three crew members were present on the chopper. They were rescued and rushed to Bhavsinh Civil Hospital in Porbandar with severe burn injuries, but none of them survived.”

The Porbandar airport contains separate enclaves for the Navy and the Coast Guard.

The incident comes after the Coast Guard’s MK-III Advanced Light Helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2 last year, killing three crew members.