<p>An Army helicopter with three people onboard crashed in a forested area in the hilly Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.</p>.<p>A defence spokesperson said at about 1115 hours on May 4, 2023, an Army Aviation ALH Dhruv helicopter on an operational mission made a precautionary landing on the banks of Marua river in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>.<p>“As per inputs, the pilots had reported a technical fault to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and proceeded for a precautionary landing. Due to the undulating ground, undergrowth and unprepared landing area, the helicopter apparently made a hard landing,” he said.</p>.<p>The spokesperson said immediate rescue operations were launched and Army rescue teams reached the site.</p>.<p>“Two pilots and a technician were on board. All three injured personnel have been evacuated to Command Hospital, Udhampur,” he said and added a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident while further details are being ascertained.</p>.<p>Senior Superintendent Police (SSP), Kishtwar, Khalil Poswal said rescue teams were rushed to the crash site. “Being remote and hilly area, there is no mobile phone connectivity,” he said.</p>.<p>The region has been witnessing rains, snowfall and cloudy weather for the past two to three days.</p>.<p>Last year in March, a Cheetah helicopter of the Army had crashed near Line of Control (LoC) in Tulail sector of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, killing the co-pilot and critically injuring the pilot.</p>.<p>In September 2021, two pilots were killed in a similar accident after an Army helicopter landed on the hills of Shiv Dhara near Patnitop in Udhampur district of Jammu.</p>.<p>In March this year, two pilots were killed after an Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter crashed near the Mandala hills area in Arunachal Pradesh.</p>
<p>An Army helicopter with three people onboard crashed in a forested area in the hilly Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.</p>.<p>A defence spokesperson said at about 1115 hours on May 4, 2023, an Army Aviation ALH Dhruv helicopter on an operational mission made a precautionary landing on the banks of Marua river in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>.<p>“As per inputs, the pilots had reported a technical fault to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and proceeded for a precautionary landing. Due to the undulating ground, undergrowth and unprepared landing area, the helicopter apparently made a hard landing,” he said.</p>.<p>The spokesperson said immediate rescue operations were launched and Army rescue teams reached the site.</p>.<p>“Two pilots and a technician were on board. All three injured personnel have been evacuated to Command Hospital, Udhampur,” he said and added a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident while further details are being ascertained.</p>.<p>Senior Superintendent Police (SSP), Kishtwar, Khalil Poswal said rescue teams were rushed to the crash site. “Being remote and hilly area, there is no mobile phone connectivity,” he said.</p>.<p>The region has been witnessing rains, snowfall and cloudy weather for the past two to three days.</p>.<p>Last year in March, a Cheetah helicopter of the Army had crashed near Line of Control (LoC) in Tulail sector of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, killing the co-pilot and critically injuring the pilot.</p>.<p>In September 2021, two pilots were killed in a similar accident after an Army helicopter landed on the hills of Shiv Dhara near Patnitop in Udhampur district of Jammu.</p>.<p>In March this year, two pilots were killed after an Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter crashed near the Mandala hills area in Arunachal Pradesh.</p>