17 killed when commercial helicopter crashes in northeast India

[News_Editor]

17 killed when commercial helicopter crashes in northeast India

2011-04-19 23:30:34 GMT+7 (ICT)

TAWANG, INDIA (BNO NEWS) -- A commercial helicopter carrying more than 20 people crashed in far northeastern India on Tuesday afternoon, officials said, killing 17 people and injuring others.

The accident happened at around 2 p.m. local time when the Pawan Hans helicopter crashed into a gorge while landing in Tawang, a small town in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh state. It had reportedly caught fire as it was preparing to land.

The Indian Army immediately launched a rescue operation after the accident, which involved an Mi-17 helicopter that is capable of carrying more than 30 people. Civil aviation officials said the chopper was carrying five crew members and 18 passengers, including two children.

The commercial helicopter had reportedly taken off from the eastern city of Guwahati at around 1.15 p.m. local time, before it went down when arriving at its location near China's Tibet region. The aircraft belonged to Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited, which provides helicopter services in India.

Pawan Hans and aviation officials confirmed that at least 17 people had been killed in the accident, while six others survived with serious injuries. Among the survivors is one of the children.

In November 2010, all 12 people were killed when an Mi-17 helicopter belonging to the Indian Air Force crashed near Tawang while taking off.

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