Sunday, 01 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
A helicopter of a private company, fell down and was destroyed when it was being airlifted by an Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter from Kedarnath on Saturday morning. According to officials, there were no fatalities in the accident as the IAF chopper pilot dropped the helicopter in a wooded area beside the Mandakini river. The helicopter was suffering from technical snags and was being transported to the Gauchar airstrip when the pilot of the IAF chopper faced difficulties due to air pressure and the weight of the smaller helicopter, leading to a loss of balance. As the situation worsened near Tharu camp, the pilot promptly decided to release the helicopter in a remote area with no human settlement, officials said.
Visuals of the incident which went viral on social media since early on Saturday morning show the helicopter dangling precariously mid-air before plummeting into the valley below. According to sources, the helicopter involved in the incident was the one which was in the news after its pilot was forced to make an emergency landing near Kedarnath on May 24 due to a technical snag.
