Pilot killed in Army chopper crash in north Kashmir

An Army Cheetah helicopter on its way to pick up sick BSF personnel crashed near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Gurez Sector on Friday (March 11), resulting in the killing of its pilot and injuries to the co-pilot, officials said.

The injured co-pilot has been rushed to a medical facility, they said, adding that his condition was stated to be critical.

The two pilots belonged to Army Aviation Corps and were of the rank of major.
The helicopter was about to land but “drifted away” because of the weather conditions, an official told PTI.

The crash took place near Gujran Nallah in Gurez Sector in north Kashmirs Bandipora district.

Rescue teams have left on foot while air reconnaissance teams were looking for survivors, officials told PTI.

More than 30 Cheetah helicopters have crashed over the last few years, killing about 40 officers. In a 2015 report, the Army had admitted that Cheetah helicopters have virtually become “death traps”.

(With inputs from agencies)