Two pilots and a crew member were killed on Sunday when an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter crashed at Porbandar airport runway in Gujarat during a routine sortie.
The helicopter, an ALH MK-III (CG 859), caught fire upon impact. According to authorities the incident is under investigation by a Board of Inquiry.
As per an ICG statement, the incident took place at approximately 12.15 PM on January 5, when the helicopter was returning from a routine training sortie. The aircraft was carrying two pilots and one air crew diver.
Following the crash, the crew was immediately rescued and taken to a government hospital in Porbandar, where they were declared dead.
The deceased have been identified as Commandant (JG) Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav, and Navik Manoj Pradhan. The ICG confirmed they will be cremated with full military honours in accordance with service traditions.
Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja stated that the helicopter crashed while attempting to land near the runway, catching fire shortly after. The crew members, despite being rushed to Bhavsinh Civil Hospital in Porbandar with severe burns, could not survive.
The Porbandar airport houses separate sections for both the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
This incident comes just four months after another ICG ALH MK-III helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2, 2024, claiming the lives of three crew members. The bodies of two of the victims were recovered soon after, while the third crew member’s remains were found over a month later.