Kathua: Army Helicopter With 3 People Onboard Crashes Near Ranjit Sagar Dam, 2 Officers Missing

An army helicopter has crashed in Kathua. Forces were rushed to the spot. 2 army officers are missing from the chopper.

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Jammu: A helicopter has crashed at Ranjit Sagar dam in Kathu at Jammu. The chopper belonged to the Indian army and was at sortie over the dam where it crashed later. Security forces have been rushed to the spot.

An NDRF team has been deployed to carry out search and rescue operations. It is being said that three people were onboard the helicopter. The army's chopper was on a regular sortie.

"We have received information that an Army helicopter has crashed in the lake. We have rushed our teams to the spot," Lamba said. 

The helicopter of the 254 Army Aviation Squadron took off from Mamun Cantt at 10:20 am. The helicopter was carrying out low-level sorties in the Ranjit Sagar Dam area when it crashed.

The dam is located about 30kms from Pathankot.

There were no immediate reports of any casualty, he said. 

"Only preliminary reports are available with us right now. The helicopter crashed in Parthu area of Basohli in Kathua district...There has been no loss of life as per initial reports. Details are awaited," sources told IANS.

However, visuals accessed by ABP news show that the helicopter has drowned in the dam. According to the latest updates, 2 army officers Lieutenant Colonel A S Bhatt and Captain Jayant Joshi who were in the helicopter are missing. 

Earlier in January this year, another Indian Army helicopter, HAL Dhruv, had crash-landed at Basohli Brigade headquarters near Lakhanpur area in Kathua district of J&K. While one pilot, Lt Col Rishabh Sharma, succumbed to injuries, Captain Anjani Kumar was critically injured in the accident. 

( Inputs from Jagwinder Patial)