J&K: Two pilots killed in Udhampur’s helicopter crash, Army commander expresses grief

Jammu : Two pilots died on Tuesday after an army helicopter crashed in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Army spokesman said that a pilot and the co-pilot were seriously injured after an Army helicopter ‘Cheetah’ crashed in Shiv Garh area of Patnitop in Udhampur district.
“Both the pilot and the co-pilot of the Cheetah helicopter succumbed to their injuries at the army hospital,” he said.
He said that on September 21, during an operational area clearance sortie in Patnitop area, Major Rohit Kumar,35 and Major Anuj Rajput, 28 met with an accident while manoeuvring the helicopter they were flying.
“During the crash landing of the helicopter, both pilots suffered grave injuries. They were immediately evacuated to Command Hospital Udhampur, however the officers succumbed to their injuries,” said the spokesman
They were brave officers who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, he said.
“The Indian Army will always remain indebted to their supreme sacrifice and offer our deepest condolences to their family,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile Lt Gen Yogesh Kumar Joshi, Northern Command Army Commander and all ranks salute the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty at Patnitop and express our deepest condolences to their families.
This was the second such incident in less than two months.
Earlier, on August 3, an ALH Dhruv helicopter of the Indian Army crashed into Ranjit Sagar Lake in Basholi area of Kathua district.
The Weapon System Integrated (WSI) helicopter had taken off from Pathankot (Punjab) and met with the accident during a routine sortie.
Capitan Jayant Joshi (27), co-pilot of the ill-fated Rudra attack chopper of the 254 Army aviation squadron of Mamun Cantt in Pathankot is still missing, which crashed into Ranjit Sagar lake.
The body of another pilot Lt Col Abheet Singh Batth an Amritsar native was recovered from the reservoir on August 15 as it was lying a few meters away from the wreckage.