ITANAGAR: Two pilots were killed after an Indian Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter crashed near the Mandala hills area in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday, officials said.

A search operation was carried out by the Indian Army, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and police after the crash.

"Both the pilots involved in the crash have lost their lives," said Army officials.

Earlier, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Defence Guwahati Lt Col Mahendra Rawat had said Army's Cheetah helicopter, on an operational sortie, was reported to have lost contact with the Air Traffic Controller at around 9:15 am on Thursday. It was reported to have crashed near Mandala, West of Bomdila.

Search parties have been launched, he had informed. According to Arunachal Pradesh Police, an Army chopper lost contact midway and could not be located while it was en route to Missamari from Senge village.

At around 12:30 pm villagers from Bangjalep under Dirang police station informed that a crashed chopper was found.

Police said the area has no signal and the weather was extremely foggy with a visibility of 5 metres.

Further details awaited.

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