Army chopper crashes in HP, killing pilot, co-pilot

Chandigarh, May 24 (UNI) A Cheetah helicopter of the Army Aviation crashed near Bhavnagar in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, killing the pilot and co-pilot this morning, the Army said.

The helicopter was on return flight from Bhavnagar to Karcham when the crash occurred. The helicopter caught fire during the accident and the pilots, Lt Col J M P D'Counha and Maj Puneet Karol are presumed to have died in the accident, a release from the Western Command said.

Rescue operations has been launched in the area and the cause of accident is being ascertained. The crash occured at 1050 hours.

UNI