IAF chopper crash in Arunachal Kills 7

Mi-17 was carrying supplies to a forward post of the Army

A mi-17 helicopter of the Indian air force [IAF]crashed in Arunachal Pradesh early on Friday morning' Killing seven personnel on board.

An Indian Air Force Mi-17 V5 helicopter crashed at around 6:59 on October 6 after getting airborne from helipad north of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. This ar the second routine air maintenance sortie of the day for the aircraft at a forward area, IAF said in a statement.

the helicopter was carrying supplies to a forward post of the army in the hilly terrain. It crashed close to dropping and caught fire immediately.

The seven defense personnel on board five IAF and two army personnel suffered fatal injuries. A Court of INquuiry has been ordered to establish the cause of the accident.

The crash comes two days ahead of Air Force Day on October8 and is the second incident involving IAF helicopter of them in Arunachal Pradesh in three months. 

An Advance light helicopter of the IAF had crashed at Saglee in Papum pare district on July 4, claiming the lives of all four on board.