Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 18 2010:
An Army helicopter Cheetah going from Dimapur to Imphal was trapped in bad weather in valley 8 kms ahead of Jakhama and crashed today killing three Army officers.
A press release issued by Maj Vallari Joshi, Media Officer, HQ 3 Corps stated that the helicopter was going for a routine training sorty.
Bodies of three officers of the Indian Army have been recovered.
The names of the officers are Colonel PK Pal, Major Nikhil Rana and Major Rakesh Sharma.
Bodies of the officers have been taken to Naga Hospital in Kohima for post mortem.
A Court of inquiry has been ordered by Army.
GOC 3 Corps has expressed grief over the unfortunate incident, the press release stated.
Meanwhile, Newmai News Network reported that the Cheetah helicopter crashed in the mountainous region in the border between Manipur and Nagaland, six kilometres from Vishwema helipad in Nagaland around 8.45 am.
Those killed were commandant of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME), Colonel PK Pal, Major Rakesh Sharma and Maj Nikhil Rana.
The two Majors were pilots of the Army helicopter.