Indian Army's Cheetah Helicopter Crashes In Ladakh, 3 Officers Including A Major General Escape Death Miraculously; Photos

Leh: Three Indian Army officers narrowly escaped death after a Cheetah helicopter crashed in the high-altitude Tangste area near Leh in Ladakh, officials confirmed on Saturday. All three occupants survived with minor injuries in what officials described as a 'miracle' given the difficult mountainous terrain where the aircraft went down.

Photos of the crashed helicopter in the hilly terrain have surfaced on the internet. The pictures show the tail of the helicopter completely destroyed. All three of the Army officers can be seen resting beside the crashed helicopter.

The crash reportedly took place on Wednesday, though details of the incident emerged publicly only on Saturday. According to officials, the single-engine helicopter was being piloted by a lieutenant colonel and a major, while the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 3rd Infantry Division was travelling onboard as a passenger.

Army officials said rescue and evacuation operations were carried out immediately after the crash. Despite the severity of the incident, all three officers escaped with only minor injuries. An investigation has now been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the crash, as reported by ETV Bharat.

The incident has once again raised concerns over the ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters that continue to be extensively used by the Indian armed forces in challenging terrains such as Ladakh and the Siachen Glacier.

More than 15 such helicopters have reportedly crashed over the past decade, resulting in multiple fatalities among pilots and defence personnel. Despite repeated incidents, officials maintain that the existing helicopters remain airworthy and continue to play a crucial role in supplying remote forward posts and carrying out high-altitude operations.