In a tragic incident, an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed in the Arabian Sea during an emergency landing while approaching a vessel for a rescue operation. The accident occurred about 45 kilometers from Porbandar as the helicopter was attempting to evacuate a seriously injured crew member from the Indian-flagged Motor Tanker Hari Leela.
Two out of three bodies from the crash have been recovered and identified as Commandant Vipin Babu and P/NVK Karan Singh, as confirmed by Porbandar Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Pankaj Agarwal. The third crew member had been saved earlier when the wreckage was located.
The helicopter had previously played a crucial role in saving 67 lives during the recent cyclonic weather in Gujarat, highlighting its importance in search and rescue missions. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Monday when the ICG received a distress call from the Master of the Motor Tanker Hari Leela, leading to the launch of a rescue operation.
This unfortunate event follows another recent rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard on August 26, where 11 crew members of the distressed MV ITT Puma were saved during a challenging night-time mission. The Mumbai-registered general cargo vessel, en route from Kolkata to Port Blair, reportedly sank about 90 nautical miles south of Sagar Island in West Bengal.
The ICG continues to be at the forefront of maritime safety and search and rescue operations, despite the inherent risks involved in such missions. The loss of the two brave officers is a reminder of the dangers faced by those who work tirelessly to protect and save lives at sea. Further investigations into the crash are expected to take place to determine the cause of the emergency landing.
Sources By Agencies