Missing pilot’s body found off Gujarat coast a month after chopper crash

Ahmedabad: The body of a missing Indian Coast Guard pilot has been recovered over a month after a helicopter belonging to the maritime security agency crashed into the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, officials said on Friday.

Three crew members went missing after the ALH MK-III helicopter fell into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2. While the bodies of two crew members were recovered subsequently, a search continued to trace Rakesh Kumar Rana, the pilot in command of the mission.

Rana's body was recovered from the sea, nearly 55 km southwest of Porbandar, on October 10, the Coast Guard said in a release.

“ICG (Coast Guard) along with the Indian Navy and other stakeholders continued unrelenting search efforts to locate Commandant Rakesh Kumar Rana, who was the Pilot in Command of the mission.

“His mortal remains will be cremated as per service traditions and honour. A warm salute to the three brave souls from Rank and File of the Indian Coast Guard who laid down their lives in the line of duty,” it said.

The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the Coast Guard with four crew members met with the accident while trying to evacuate an injured man on board motor tanker Hari Leela, nearly 30 nautical miles from the Porbandar coast.

While one of the four crew members on the helicopter, diver Gautam Kumar, was rescued immediately, three went missing. A day later, the bodies of pilot Vipin Babu and diver Karan Singh were recovered. But Rana remained missing, prompting a massive search operation.

As part of the search by the Coast Guard and Indian Navy, more than 70 air sorties and 82 ship days involving several vessels were pressed into service, added the release.

PTI