Two senior Army officials killed in chopper crash in HP

Shimla, May 24 (UNI) Two senior Indian Army officials were killed after their helicopter crashed and exploded after getting entangled in overhead wire of span in Kinnuar district of Himachal Pradesh early today, district DSP Prem Kumar said.

The helicopter, which was on a regular reconnaissance flight from Karcham to Bhavnagar in the district, crashed and exploded after getting entangled in the overhead wire of span, while trying to land at the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam's (SJVNL) helipad at Sungra, about 184 km from here, he told UNI here.

Mr Kumar said according to Army Havildar Leela Dhar, who was on duty at the helipad, the Cheetah helicopter's wings separated after getting entangled, while the chopper crashed into a hill and exploded, killing Lt Col Praveen D Cunaha, 39, and Major Punnet Karol, 31, on the spot.

Senior district, police and Army officials rushed to the site immediately after the accident to supervise rescue and relief operations, he said.

The DSP said the ITBP, police and Army personnel retrieved badly burnt bodies from the debris of the helicopter spread over a huge area.

Bhawanagar SDM RR Verma said the bodies of the defence officials were being handed over to their relatives after post mortem examination at a hospital at Bhawanagar.

He said the district administration and the Army have ordered inquiries to ascertain the cause of the accident.

UNI