Killing our own helicopter was a ‘big lapse’: Air Force Chief RK Bhadauria

Key Highlights

1. On February 27, the Air Force Personal, handling the air defense system, killed its helicopter.
2. Due to this lapse, six Indian Air Force soldiers lost their lives while a common citizen was also killed.
3. The Air Force chief said that it was a major lapse that will never be repeated in future
4. Air Chief Marshal Bhadoria said that both the officers handling the air defense system are under action.

Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria admitted that killing his own Mi-17 V5 chopper during aerial conflict with Pakistan was a huge lapse. Six people of the Indian Air Force and a common citizen were killed in the accident on February 27 in Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The Air Force Chief assured the country that such a lapse would never happen in the future.

Air Chief Marshal RK Bhadauria said in a press conference held on Air Force Day today, ‘Court of Inquiry has been completed. Our chopper crashed with our own missile, it was our fault. We will take action against two officials. We accept that this was our major lapse and assure that such a mistake will not happen again in future. ‘

he said that action is being taken against two officers in this case. He said, ‘Our missile itself (the helicopter) shot down. It has been confirmed. Administrative and disciplinary action is being taken. Necessary steps are being taken so that such an incident does not happen again in future.

A day after the Balakot strike fueled Pakistan, India gave a befitting reply when it sent its aircraft inside the Indian border. During that two-way conflict, the Indian Army’s MI17 V5 helicopter fell into the Budgam area near Srinagar. Investigation into the incident revealed that the chopper was targeted through the Spider Air Defense Missile System from the Srinagar Air Base of the Indian Air Force.

The Air Force officers handling the system felt that it was not a helicopter, but a missile launched from the enemy. The helicopter took off 10 minutes earlier. In the video of his debris, burnt corpses and rising smoke were seen there. In fact, as soon as the missile hit, the chopper broke into two pieces and caught fire immediately.

Original Reporting by Aarti Dhar