An Indian Army Chetak helicopter from the 17 Mountain strike corp unit made a precautionary landing in Punjab on Thursday. Initial information suggests that the crew members of the military helicopters are safe.
The pilot of the ageing helicopter Z 1398, which will be replaced in next few years with a locally-made light utility helicopter, made the landing in an agriculture field in Ropar of Punjab after its control panel indicated a possible technical snag. Army sources said that another Army chopper had reached the landing site.
It’s the second emergency landing of Chetak helicopter this month. Earlier, on 3 February, Chetak helicopter crash-landed at Rudkhud near Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir.
India’s 1.5 million armed personnel have for years been waiting to replace the military’s ageing light helicopters. The Chetak helicopters are considered a lifeline for army formations and troops deployed in the Himalayan region.