One of most dangerous US combat helicopters India has ever received crashes in Ladakh
New Delhi: In the first major accident of the Apache attack helicopters since they were inducted from the US around four years ago, one of the heavy-duty choppers made a hard landing during an operational sortie for the ongoing Gagan Shakti exercise in Ladakh.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the two pilots, fortunately, escaped with minor injuries and were evacuated to the nearest air base. The IAF said the helicopter “sustained damage due to the undulating terrain and high altitude” during the “precautionary landing”.
A court of inquiry has been ordered to pinpoint the cause of the accident that occurred near Khardung La in Ladakh.
The accident comes soon after the US Army has witnessed four Apache helicopter crashes in two-three months, with the latest being near Fort Carson in Colorado on March 27. It had led to the temporary grounding of the fleet and detailed investigations.
The IAF refused to specify how badly the helicopter was damaged in the accident and whether it could be salvaged. The IAF inducted 22 of the Boeing-manufactured Apache helicopters in the 2019-2020 timeframe under the Rs 13,952 crore deal inked with the US in September 2015.
