Sun Jan 05 16:48:00 UTC 2025: ## Indian Coast Guard Helicopter Crashes in Porbandar, Killing Three Crew Members
**Porbandar, Gujarat –** A tragic accident claimed the lives of three Indian Coast Guard personnel on Sunday when their Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed and caught fire at Porbandar airport. The victims were identified as Commandant Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav, and Navik Manoj Pradhan.
The ALH MK-III helicopter, on a routine training sortie, crashed near the runway around 12:15 PM. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter burst into flames after impact. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, and the three crew members were rushed to a local hospital, but succumbed to severe burns.
Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. This is the second major ALH MK-III incident near Porbandar in recent months. In September, a similar helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea, resulting in the loss of three crew members, one of whom was recovered only after a month-long search operation.
The ALH Dhruv, an indigenously-designed and developed helicopter, has faced scrutiny in the past. Two years ago, several design and metallurgical flaws were identified following a series of accidents, leading to temporary grounding of some units. Following a safety audit, the helicopters resumed operations, and over 325 ALH Dhruv helicopters across the Indian armed forces underwent technical checks. The cause of Sunday’s crash remains under investigation.
First Piper 