Major General among 3 Army officers survive Cheetah copter crash in Leh; selfie of May 20 accident goes viral

NEW DELHI: Three Indian Army officers had a narrow escape after their helicopter crashed in the mountainous Tangste near Leh in Ladakh.

A Major General, a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major survived the crash but sustained injuries when the Cheetah helicopter went down. “The helicopter crashed on May 20. All three officers are safe. An inquiry has been ordered,” officials familiar with the matter told TOI.

A selfie by one of the officers of the May 20 crash has now gone viral. All three walked out of the wreckage on their own. The single-engine HAL Cheetah helicopter was operated by the Lt Colonel and the Major, while Major General Sachin Mehta, who commands the 3 Infantry Division, was on board as a passenger.

The crash took place during a flight over the high-altitude terrain of Ladakh. The specific cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

The Cheetah helicopters, inducted into service in 1976, have been a crucial asset for the Indian Army, especially in high-altitude and forward regions like the Siachen Glacier. The Cheetah, which is crucial for high-altitude logistics and reconnaissance missions for the armed forces, has been the subject of ongoing technical scrutiny due to its ageing fleet.

Over the past decade or so, more than 15 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters have been involved in crashes, leading to the loss of life of several pilots.

Due to these safety issues, the Army has planned to phase out the ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters within the next 1 to 2 years, to be gradually replaced by new-generation Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs) over a span of 8 to 10 years.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is playing a pivotal role in this transition. The Army has already placed orders for six limited-series-production LUHs, designed to reach a top speed of 220 kmph, a service ceiling of 6.5 km, and an operational range of 350 km.