Porbandar, Gujarat Helicopter Crash Claims 3 Lives; ALH Accident 4 Months Ago Remembered

Gujarat (The Uttam Hindu): A tragic helicopter crash occurred at the Coast Guard Air Enclave in Porbandar, Gujarat on Sunday afternoon claiming the lives of three individuals. The accident happened around 12 noon when the helicopter crashed and caught fire upon impact. The victims were reportedly aboard the Coast Guard helicopter and a thorough investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.

This marks the second Coast Guard helicopter crash in the region within a year. On September 2, 2022, an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv crashed into the Arabian Sea near Porbandar. At the time, one of the four crew members was rescued while three went missing. A large-scale search operation involving four ships and two aircraft was launched eventually recovering the bodies of two missing crew members.

The Coast Guard’s ALH fleet has been instrumental in rescue operations, including saving 67 people from flood-affected areas in Gujarat recently. However, the recurring accidents raise concerns about operational safety and the need for enhanced precautions to prevent such tragedies in the future.