Indian Navy rescues Coast Guard crew post copter hard landing

The Indian Navy on Saturday successfully rescued all four crew members of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter that made a hard landing in Maharashtra's Raigad district.

One of the pilots suffered injuries in the incident. The rescued crew members have been taken to the Naval Hospital INHS Asvini at Mumbai.

The crew members have been identified as - Deputy Commandant Balwinder Singh, Assitant commandant Penny Choudhary, Sandeep, P/Nvk and Baljeet, Nvk.

The ICG helicopter that took off from Mumbai for routine surveillance sortie with four crew made an emergency landing near Nandgaon Beach, Murud.

The Indian Navy launched two Chetak helicopters and a Seaking 'C' helicopter on a search and rescue mission and located the helicopter. One ICG Chetak and an Air Force Mi 17 helicopter were also part of the search effort.

Preliminary report intimated that the crew experienced technical difficulties 25 minutes after taking off.

This incident came nearly two months after a Pawan Hans helicopter with seven people onboard, including five ONGC officers and two pilots, crashed off the Mumbai coast.

-ANI