ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 122048
Last updated: 23 May 2013
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| Date: | 30-APR-2011 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil |
| Operator: | Pawan Hans Helicopters (PHHL) |
| Registration: | VT-PHT |
| C/n / msn: | 4991 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Luguthang, near the China border -
 India
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Tawang |
| Itanagar |
A massive search operation for a missing helicopter carrying the chief minister of India's north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and four others has entered its third day.
The helicopter carrying Dorjee Khandu went missing on Saturday morning, 20 minutes after taking off from Tawang on its way to the state capital, Itanagar.
Bad weather has been hampering the search operation, officials said.
There were some reports on Saturday that the helicopter had landed in Bhutan, which were immediately denied by the authorities in Thimphu.
Indian air force fighter jets and helicopters have joined ground troops from India and across the border in neighbouring Bhutan to look for the helicopter carrying Mr Khandu.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has also provided satellite pictures of the route that the helicopter, owned by Pawan Hans company, was scheduled to take on its way to Itanagar.
The other passengers on the helicopter were Mr Khandu's security officer Yeshi Choddak and a relative of a state lawmaker, Yeshi Lamu, and two crew members JS Babbar and KS Malick.
Five days after the helicopter that he was using went missing, Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has been found dead in Luguthang, near the China border. A government official has identified the Chief Minister's body.
The four other people on board with him - including two pilots and his security officer - have also died. The bodies were found at a height of 4900 metres. The Chief Minister's body will now be moved to Itanagar.
The news came after a search party this morning spotted a wrecked helicopter and three bodies from a hill top near Jung Falls in the Tawang district.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13257033
http://www.inewsone.com/2011/05/01/iaf-begins-operations-to-spot-missing-helicopter/47316
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/pawan-hans-says-missing-chopper-was-in-perfect-condition_100532273.html
http://www.starnews.in/india/34-more/8937-arunachal-cm-dorjee-khandu-dies-in-helicopter-crash
http://www.indiaeveryday.in/andhra/fullnews-arunachal-cm-4-others-dead-in-chopper-crash-greatandhra-1101-2572511.htm
http://www.inewsone.com/2011/05/04/chopper-carrying-khandu-was-new-but-unfit-for-such-terrain/48106
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-May-2011 02:48 | gerard57 | Added |
| 02-May-2011 02:53 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 02-May-2011 04:25 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Source] |
| 04-May-2011 03:30 | gerard57 | Updated [Location, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 04-May-2011 04:19 | gerard57 | Updated [Narrative] |
| 04-May-2011 06:35 | gerard57 | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-May-2011 06:35 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Other fatalities, Source] |
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