An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter air-dropping relief supplies in flood-hit areas of Bihar made a forced landing this afternoon due to an engine failure. The incident occurred in the Naya Gaon region of Muzaffarpur district, with all four personnel on board, including two officers, rescued safely.
The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, which had taken off from the Darbhanga Air Force base, was part of the ongoing efforts to provide aid to communities devastated by recent floods in Bihar. After the engine malfunctioned, the pilot’s quick thinking averted a major disaster by landing the aircraft in shallow water, ensuring no casualties or further damage.
“A major accident was averted because of the pilot’s presence of mind,” said Pratyaya Amrit, Principal Secretary of Bihar’s disaster management department. He commended the pilot for skillfully maneuvering the helicopter into an unpopulated area, preventing any harm to civilians.
Following the forced landing, local residents, along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), were quick to assist in the rescue of the crew. The personnel were transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.
The ALH-Dhruv helicopters, which are widely used by the IAF, Army, and Navy, had been grounded twice in recent months due to technical concerns regarding certain components. Despite these challenges, the helicopter was actively engaged in flood relief operations before the mishap.
Earlier today, a separate helicopter crash in Pune resulted in the tragic deaths of two pilots and an engineer. The helicopter, belonging to Heritage Aviation, was en route to Mumbai, and police suspect dense fog may have contributed to the accident, although an investigation is ongoing.
Sources By Agencies
