Indian Army Cheetah helicopter crashes near Leh, officers safe

An Indian Army Cheetah helicopter carrying Major General Sachin Mehta crashed near Leh during a routine sortie in Ladakh. All three officers escaped with minor injuries, while the Army ordered an inquiry and renewed focus emerged on replacing ageing helicopters.

By Ashmit Mazumder

Hyderabad: An Indian Army Cheetah helicopter carrying Major General Sachin Mehta, General Officer Commanding of the 3 Infantry Division, crashed in the mountainous Tangste region near Leh during a routine sortie on Wednesday, May 20. The incident was reported on Friday, May 23.

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The single-engine helicopter, piloted by a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major, went down in the challenging high-altitude terrain of Ladakh. However, all three officers escaped with minor injuries, with officials noting the difficult conditions in the region, including rugged terrain and thin air.

Following the incident, a selfie from the crash site showing Major General Mehta and the two officers near the wreckage has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread reactions and relief over the crew’s safety.

The Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash.

The incident has once again brought attention to concerns surrounding the ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopter fleet, which continues to serve as a key component for troop movement, casualty evacuation and logistics operations in strategically sensitive regions such as Siachen and Ladakh despite having been inducted several decades ago.

The Army is planning to gradually phase out the ageing fleet over the next one to two years and replace it with new Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs) in a phased manner.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is expected to receive combined orders from the Army and the Indian Air Force for at least 187 LUHs, with six limited series production units already ordered. Designed for operations in Himalayan terrain, the helicopter has a top speed of 220 kmph, a service ceiling of 6.5 kilometres and an operational range of 350 kilometres.

Officials said all three officers involved in the crash are recovering and remain in stable condition.