ITANAGAR, ARUNACHAL PRADESH : Indian Army ordered an inquiry after a Cheetah helicopter crashed near the Mandala hills area in Arunachal Pradesh in which two pilots were killed on Thursday. A search operation was carried out by the Indian Army, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and police after the crash.

Public Relations Officer (PRO), Defence Guwahati Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said an Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter flying an operational sortie near Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh lost contact with the Air Traffic Control (ARC) at around 9:15 am on March 16.

"Five search parties of the Indian Army, SSB and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were immediately launched. The wreckage of the aircraft was found near Banglajaap village East of Mandala. With regret, we inform that the pilot and the co-pilot of the helicopter lost thier lives in the accident," said the Defence PRO. "A Court of Inquiry is being ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," he added.

"General Manoj Pande Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and All Ranks of Indian Army salute the supreme sacrifice of Lt Col VVB Reddy and Maj Jayanth A, in the line of duty at Arunachal Pradesh and express deepest condolences to the bereaved families," tweeted Additional Directorate General of Public Information, Indian Army.

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