Two pilots were reportedly killed after an Indian Army helicopter crashed near Yonphula in Bhutan on Friday, defence sources said. The chopper took off from Arunachal Pradesh’s Khirmu and lost contact in Yonphula.
The Army sources said that the incident took place around 1 pm. The deceased pilots include a captain from the Royal Bhutan Army and a Lieutenant Colonel of the Army Aviation Corps.
“An Indian Army helicopter crashed at 1 pm near Yonphula in Bhutan. Helicopter went out of radio and visual contact soon after 1 pm. It was enroute from Khirmu (Arunanchal Pradesh) to Yonphula on duty,” the army said in a statement.
After the ground search, the wreckage has been located and rescue operation is going on. The Indian Air Force is also taking part in the search and rescue operations.
“The helicopter went out of radio and visual contact soon after 1 pm. The information about the crash reached soon thereafter following which search operations began,” said an Army official.