IAF aircraft crashes near Bhuj; pilot ejects safely

On Friday afternoon, an IAF (Indian Air Force) chopper aircraft reportedly crashed in Bibar village, about 70 Km away from west of Bhuj town in western Kuch. However, the pilot of the chopper had escaped safely.

“We have received information that an IAF chopper has crashed. Its pilot has escaped and no casualty has been reported,” DN Patel, superintendent of police of Kutch West, added sources.

According to police, the chopper crashed near Bibar village in Nakhtrana taluk and that it had taken off from Air Force Station Bhuj town. “We received the information at around 12 pm that an IAF helicopter had crashed in Bibar village. The debris of the chopper fell in an open field while its pilot managed to escape. Another IAF helicopter has taken the pilot away while other IAF personnel have also reached the spot of the crash and have secured the debris,” according to Karshan Dafda, the Nakhtrana police sub-inspector.

It is learnt that no injury or casualty was reported from the ground since the helicopter crashed in an isolated field. The PRO of IAF Wg Cdr Abhishek Matiman confirmed an aircraft had crashed in Kutch and informed that further details were awaited.