Chopper crash: Army makes floating platform in Ranjit Sagar dam to search for pilot missing since Aug 3

Search operations are being spearheaded by a Commodore rank officer from the Indian Navy who is expert in maritime rescue operations, along with an Indian Army Brigadier having expertise in civil engineering aspects

Police personnel inspect the site after a helicopter of the Indian Army crashed near Ranjit Sagar Dam in Kathua district. PTI file

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

The Army has created a makeshift floating platform in the Ranjit Sagar Reservoir for conducting diving operations to search for the body of one of the pilots who was onboard the Rudra helicopter that had crashed into the reservoir on August 3.

The search operations are being spearheaded by a Commodore rank officer from the Indian Navy who is expert in maritime rescue operations, along with an Indian Army Brigadier having expertise in civil engineering aspects, according to a statement issued by the Army today.

In addition, search operations are being monitored round the clock with General Officer Commanding, 29 Infantry Division and General Officer Commanding 9 Corps making regular visits to the crash site so that same continue to be executed at a war footing.

A “whole of nation approach” has been adopted by the armed forces by employing best of the equipment available in the country to locate the wreckage. This includes remotely operated underwater vehicles, handheld navigation system with sonar, side scanner sonar with echo sensor and portable transducer, divers propulsion vehicle, multi beam sonar and submarine rescue unit of the Navy.

In addition, Special Forces commandos along with Marine Commandos of the Navy are carrying out continuous diving in the areas being identified through the technical means.

Various agencies like National Disaster Relief Force, civilians experts and dam authorities have also been incorporated in the search operations.

The Indian Navy has been constantly upscaling and upgrading the equipment being used for this search and salvage operation. The challenge of operating remotely controlled equipment at a depth where human intervention is not feasible and where the visibility is no more than few inches are being handled by incorporating multi beam sonars.

A Lieutenant Colonel and a Captain of the Army Aviation Corps were onboard the ill-fated aircraft. The body of the Lieutenant Colonel had been retrieved on August 15.