By: M S Nazki
Jammu: Two pilots, both Major ranked officers, were killed when an Army helicopter crashed in a forest near Patnitop in Udhampur district on Tuesday, officials said.
A Jammu-based defence spokesman said that during a training sortie in Patnitop area, Army’s Cheetah helicopter crash-landed in Shiv Garh Dhar area in the district, leading to injuring to both pilots, Major Rohit Kumar and Major Anuj Rajput. He said both were evacuated to the hospital but they succumbed later.
The incident is said to have occurred around 10.45 am when the chopper was caught in foggy weather.
Locals were the first to reach the site and they pulled out the pilots from the severely damaged helicopter amid huge tree cover, the officials told GNS. They said a police team also reached the spot immediately and evacuated the injured pilots on shoulders to the nearest health facility.
Meanwhile, Army Commander, Northern Command, Lt Gen Y K Joshi paid rich tributes to the slain officers.
“Army Commander, Northern Command, and all other ranks salute the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty on 21 September 2021 at Patnitop and offer deepest condolences to their families,” the Army’s Northern Command said in a tweet. (GNS)