IAF copter on rescue mission goes missing in Arunachal Pradesh

Guwahati: An Indian Air Force helicopter with three on board has gone missing near Sagalee in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh. The incident came close on the heels of emergency landing of a BSF chopper carrying Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju in Itanagar on Tuesday.

Security sources said that advanced landing helicopter of the Air Force, with three crew members on board, had taken off from Piluputu, Sagalee for Naharlagun about 3.45pm but within 15 minutes of take off the chopper went missing from the radar.

The IAF chopper was engaged in relief and rescue operation of those stranded at various places in Arunachal Pradesh due to heavy rain and incidents of landsliding, which created havoc in the frontier state for the past few days.

Sources said that civil administration police and ITBP personnel have launched a massive search operation. “We are yet to get any information about the chopper,” said a senior police officer supervising the search operation.

The incident took place almost at the same time when Mr Rijiju had a close shave after his helicopter made an emergency landing in Itanagar due to bad weather.

Mr Rijiju, who thanked his experienced helicopter pilots for managing to land safely, said locals in Arunachal Pradesh are being mobilised to locate the missing ALH.

“The state government are mobilising locals to locate the missing IAF helicopter that was on a rescue mission in Arunachal, ” Mr Rijiju tweeted. He added, “Weather is turbulent in Northeast. I’m safe but whole state machinery is geared up to locate IAF ALH chopper missing almost at same time.”