A Coast Guard helicopter involved in a training exercise crashed in Gujarat, resulting in the death of three individuals.

Officials stated that the crash was caused by technical issues experienced during the operation.

During a routine training mission on Sunday, an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv operated by the Indian Coast Guard tragically crashed in Gujarat’s Porbandar, resulting in the loss of three crew members.

The accident occurred at the Coast Guard Air Enclave in Porbandar.

Officials stated the chopper crashed due to technical difficulties. There were three persons aboard, including the two pilots. The news agency stated that all three people were killed in the crash.

A police spokesman informed reporters that the incident claimed the lives of three crew members.

The Indian Coast Guard is investigating the incident, and more information is awaited.

The event occurred at a time when a key safety update on the military’s ALH fleet, undertaken by HAL following a series of incidents last year, had been completed, and the enhanced control system placed on the locally manufactured choppers was intended to improve their airworthiness.

The Dhruv fleet, afflicted by a chronic design flaw, was grounded several aircraft last year after incidents called into doubt its flight safety record.

A similar horror occurred months ago. In September, a Dhruv advanced light helicopter (ALH Mk-III) met with an accident in the Arabian Sea near Porbandar. Following this incident, the Coast Guard initiated a one-time safety inspection of its ALH fleet, focusing specifically on the flying controls and transmission system, as per an internal communication reviewed by . The entire fleet has been temporarily grounded for safety checks.

The Coast Guard operates 16 ALHs, all developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru.

The helicopter was conducting a medical evacuation mission when it crashed into the sea approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, around 11:15 p.m. The term “ditching” is used to describe an aircraft’s emergency landing on water.

This particular helicopter had recently played a vital role in rescue operations during the Gujarat floods. “The Indian Coast Guard ALH, which rescued 67 people during the recent cyclonic conditions in Gujarat, was deployed at 11:00 p.m. on September 2, 2024, for the medical evacuation of a critically injured crew member aboard the Indian-flagged motor tanker Hari Leela, located about 45 km from Porbandar. This operation was initiated following a distress request from the ship’s master,” the Coast Guard stated in an official release.