The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has confirmed the recovery of two out of three bodies following the crash of an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in the Arabian Sea. The helicopter had been conducting an emergency landing operation while approaching a vessel to evacuate an injured crew member when the accident occurred.
The two recovered bodies have been identified as Commandant Vipin Babu and P/NVK Karan Singh, according to Porbandar Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Pankaj Agarwal. Earlier, one crewmember was rescued when the helicopter’s wreckage was located.
The ALH, which had previously been involved in saving 67 lives during recent cyclonic weather in Gujarat, was forced to make an emergency landing about 45 kilometers from Porbandar. The rescue operation began late on Monday night after the Indian Coast Guard received a distress call from the Master of the Indian-flagged Motor Tanker Hari Leela, requesting urgent medical evacuation for a seriously injured crew member.
In a related incident, on August 26, the Indian Coast Guard successfully rescued 11 crew members from the distressed MV ITT Puma. The cargo vessel, registered in Mumbai, sank approximately 90 nautical miles south of Sagar Island, West Bengal, while en route from Kolkata to Port Blair.
The Coast Guard continues to investigate the cause of the helicopter crash and is working to recover the remaining missing crew member.