Gujarat, 5 January 2025: Two pilots and a crew member lost their lives after an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter crashed at Porbandar airport in Gujarat on Sunday during a routine sortie. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III, identified as CG 859, caught fire after the crash around 12:15 p.m., officials confirmed.
According to an official statement, the chopper was on a routine training mission with two pilots and one aircrew diver aboard. “The mishap occurred while the helicopter was attempting to land at the Porbandar airport runway,” the Coast Guard said.
The victims—Commandant (JG) Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav, and Navik Manoj Pradhan—were rescued from the wreckage and rushed to Bhavsinh Civil Hospital in Porbandar with severe burn injuries. All three were declared dead on arrival. “Their cremation will take place with full service honors,” the ICG added.
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Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja confirmed that the crash occurred during landing. “The helicopter caught fire immediately after the crash. Efforts were made to save the crew, but unfortunately, none survived,” he said.
A Board of Inquiry has been formed to ascertain the cause of the accident, the ICG announced.
This marks the second fatal crash involving an ICG ALH MK-III helicopter at Porbandar in less than five months. On September 2, 2024, another ICG helicopter plunged into the Arabian Sea during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of three crew members.
The Porbandar airport, housing both Indian Navy and Coast Guard facilities, was the departure and intended landing point for the ill-fated helicopter.
