Indian Navy helicopter makes emergency landing in Arabian Sea off Mumbai coast

An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Navy made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday morning due to a sudden loss of power in the aircraft and loss of height. The three crew members who were part of the routine flying mission managed to safely exit the helicopter, which was then landed in the sea deploying its emergency flotation gear.

“An Indian Navy ALH on a routine flying mission off Mumbai experienced a sudden loss of power and rapid loss of height. The pilot carried out controlled ditching over water,” the Navy said in a statement. Ditching means to land on water in an emergency.

The statement further added, “All three aircrew exited the helicopter safely and were recovered as part of a swift rescue operation. They were brought to the Navy’s helicopter base INS Shikra and medically examined. All three are safe. The ditched helicopter deployed its emergency flotation gear and efforts are underway to salvage it.”

A Navy spokesperson said that an inquiry has been ordered. The official said that the helicopter in question was the indigenous ‘Dhruv’ ALH in which the three aircrew were carrying out the routine flying mission.