Indian Coast Guard ALH Helicopter Crashes In Porbandar, Three Dead

An Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Coast Guard crashed in Gujarat’s Porbandar, killing three crew members. The helicopter caught fire after it went down, as visuals showed.

The ALH Dhruv crashed in an open field near the Air Enclave of the Indian Coast Guard. Although the cause remains unknown, authorities have launched an inquiry. The chopper was on a routine sortie when the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, several injured people are receiving treatment at the civil hospital, sources said. However, the victims’ identities are still unknown, and further details are awaited.

Just four months ago, an ALH MK-III helicopter fell into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar, leaving three crew members missing. While search teams recovered two bodies, they found the pilot’s body only a month later near Gujarat’s coast.

The September crash happened during an evacuation of an injured man aboard motor tanker Hari Leela, 30 nautical miles from Porbandar.

Interestingly, two years ago, experts identified flaws in ALH Dhruv helicopters operated by the armed forces. Investigators blamed design and metallurgy issues for previous accidents, which temporarily grounded the Army and IAF fleets.

However, operations resumed after completing safety audits. Together, the Indian Navy, IAF, Army, and Coast Guard operate over 325 ALH Dhruv helicopters. They conducted technical checks on all helicopters following multiple accidents in 2023.

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