KOHIMA/NEW DELHI: Three army personnel, including Lt Gen. Bipin Rawat, had a lucky escape today as a Cheetah helicopter carrying them crashed seconds after taking off from Rangapahar helipad in Nagaland's Dimapur district.
Official sources said that the helicopter had just taken off when the engine stalled at a height of about 20-ft off the ground. The helicopter crashed down, resulting in minor injuries to those on board.
Defence PRO in Kohima, Lt Col Emron Musavi, told PTI that there were two pilots and an army official in the helicopter but none was injured in the crash.
The army chopper was just taking off on a routine sortie when it crashed, at about 9.30 A.M., Defence PRO in Shillong, Amit Mahajan, told PTI in Kolkata over the phone. The helicopter was damaged in the crash, he said.
An inquiry has been ordered into the incident, Mahajan added.