Two Army pilots die after helicopter crashes in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district
There was heavy fog in Patnitop area when the crash took place, officials said.
A pilot and a co-pilot died on Tuesday morning after an Indian Army helicopter crashed in a forest in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.
The Northern Command of the Army on Twitter identified the deceased as Major Rohit Kumar and Anuj Rajput.
#LtGenYKJoshi, #ArmyCdrNC and all ranks #salute the bravehearts Major Rohit Kumar & Major Anuj Rajput who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty on 21 Sept 2021 at #Patnitop and offer deepest condolences to their families.@adgpi@Tri_Service@Whiteknight_IA@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/4QC3ccefZi
— NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) September 21, 2021
There was heavy fog in Patnitop area when the crash took place, PTI quoted officials as saying. The helicopter reportedly crashed between 10.30 am and 10.45 am.
“During a training sortie in Patnitop area, an Army Cheetah helicopter crash-landed in Shiv Garh Dhar area in Udhampur district,” The Hindu quoted an Army spokesperson as saying. “The pilots were critically injured and evacuated to the nearest medical facility, but they died of their injuries.”
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that he salutes the “courage and supreme sacrifice” of the two officers. “My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief,” he added.
I salute the courage and supreme sacrifice of our braveheart Army officers Major Rohit Kumar & Major Anuj Rajput who laid down their lives in the line of duty at Patnitop, Udhampur. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief.
— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) September 21, 2021
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh said he was saddened to hear about the deaths of the two pilots. “Despite prompt and best possible aid, they could not be saved,” he said. “My deep condolences to the bereaved families.”
This was the second time that an Army helicopter has crashed in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two months. On August 3, an Army helicopter with two pilots on board crashed into Ranjit Sagar Dam lake in Kathua district.
Twelve days after the crash, the body of one of the pilots was recovered from the site. The deceased was identified as Lieutenant Colonel AS Baath, The Tribune reported.