Indian army helicopter crash-lands near China border PHOTO

An Indian Army Cheetah helicopter crash-landed in the Tangste region of Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control on May 20, with all three personnel on board sustaining minor injuries, officials said.

The aircraft was carrying a Major General and two pilots at the time of the incident. All three were able to walk away from the crash site and were reported to be safe following the emergency landing, Clash Report informs. 

The Cheetah helicopter, which entered service in the early 1970s, remains widely used by the Indian armed forces despite its ageing fleet, with many airframes now between 40 and 50 years old.

The incident comes amid ongoing concerns over delays in the introduction of a replacement platform. India’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, has faced repeated delays in entering full operational service.

By Sabina Mammadli