An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Coast Guard crashed in Gujarat’s Porbandar district on Sunday, killing three crew members. The crash occurred after the helicopter was engulfed in flames. The ALH Dhruv, which is operated by the Indian armed forces, went down in an open field. Visuals from the scene showed the chopper alight.
The helicopter had been on a routine sortie when it went down at the Air Enclave of the Indian Coast Guard. In addition to the deaths, several individuals were injured in the incident and are receiving treatment at the local civil hospital, sources confirmed.
The Indian Coast Guard, which is responsible for maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations within India’s territorial waters, has not yet revealed the identities of the victims.
The ALH Dhruv, which is operated by the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, has previously faced technical issues.
Two years ago, a series of flaws in the chopper were identified, including problems with design and metallurgy in some components. These issues were discovered following a series of accidents that prompted the Army and Air Force to ground their fleets.
The helicopters underwent thorough safety audits before resuming operations.
The Indian Navy, Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard operate over 325 ALH Dhruv helicopters, all of which underwent technical checks after accidents involving the platform in 2023.
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