Indian Coast Guard Helicopter Crashes, Sinks During Evacuation from Tanker
(TME) The Indian Coast Guard is reporting a tragic outcome as one of its helicopters was executing an emergency evacuation Monday night of an injured crewmember from a tanker in the Arabian Sea. The craft was forced to ditch in the Arabian Sea and reported a hard landing. It later sank.
Initial reports indicated that one crewmember was recovered but three others were reported missing. the Coast Guard said it had deployed four ships and two aircraft in the rescue effort. The aircraft wreckage has been located and late on Tuesday, they reported the recovery of two bodies. One crewmember is still missing.
The missing began Monday night at about 2300. The ICG Advanced Light Helicopter was dispatched to evacuate aboard an Indian-flagged chemical tanker, MT Hari Leela (45,683 dwt). The vessel was off the northwest coast of India in the Gujarat region. The tanker was approximately 30 miles off the coast.
Gujarat region has been on high alert for cyclonic weather conditions. On Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that Tropical Cyclone Asna would reach the peninsular regions of Gujarat. Cyclone Asna had been circulating in the Arabian Sea over the weekend, but its impacts along the Indian coastline had so far weakened as it tracked southwestward towards Oman.
The reason for the helicopter’s emergency landing in the sea is yet to be established. The Indian Coast Guard reported evacuating 67 people during the severe weather events in Gujarat early this week. On August 26, the IGC undertook another challenging nighttime search and rescue for the MV ITT Puma. They were able to locate and evacuate 11 crewmembers before the cargo ship sank approximately 90 nautical miles south of Sagar Island in West Bengal. The IGC was continuing to search for three missing crewmembers from the vessel.
The locally made ALH Dhruv helicopters, frequently used by the ICG and the military, have caused safety concerns in the past following a series of accidents. This led to the grounding of the fleet for weeks last year. The Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) ordered a design review, especially for the control rods to improve ALH’s airworthiness. An expert committee investigating a navy ALH ditching incident in the Arabian Sea on March 8, found the control rod to be a possible failure. In October, the design review was reported to be complete, with the ALH helicopters being fitted with an upgraded control system.
*Culled from The Maritime Executive
Initial reports indicated that one crewmember was recovered but three others were reported missing. the Coast Guard said it had deployed four ships and two aircraft in the rescue effort. The aircraft wreckage has been located and late on Tuesday, they reported the recovery of two bodies. One crewmember is still missing.
The missing began Monday night at about 2300. The ICG Advanced Light Helicopter was dispatched to evacuate aboard an Indian-flagged chemical tanker, MT Hari Leela (45,683 dwt). The vessel was off the northwest coast of India in the Gujarat region. The tanker was approximately 30 miles off the coast.
Gujarat region has been on high alert for cyclonic weather conditions. On Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that Tropical Cyclone Asna would reach the peninsular regions of Gujarat. Cyclone Asna had been circulating in the Arabian Sea over the weekend, but its impacts along the Indian coastline had so far weakened as it tracked southwestward towards Oman.
The reason for the helicopter’s emergency landing in the sea is yet to be established. The Indian Coast Guard reported evacuating 67 people during the severe weather events in Gujarat early this week. On August 26, the IGC undertook another challenging nighttime search and rescue for the MV ITT Puma. They were able to locate and evacuate 11 crewmembers before the cargo ship sank approximately 90 nautical miles south of Sagar Island in West Bengal. The IGC was continuing to search for three missing crewmembers from the vessel.
The locally made ALH Dhruv helicopters, frequently used by the ICG and the military, have caused safety concerns in the past following a series of accidents. This led to the grounding of the fleet for weeks last year. The Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) ordered a design review, especially for the control rods to improve ALH’s airworthiness. An expert committee investigating a navy ALH ditching incident in the Arabian Sea on March 8, found the control rod to be a possible failure. In October, the design review was reported to be complete, with the ALH helicopters being fitted with an upgraded control system.
*Culled from The Maritime Executive
FOLLOW US
About Post Author
