Army officers survive chopper crash in Leh, their selfie goes viral

Three Indian Army officers narrowly escaped after a military helicopter crashed in the mountainous Tangste region near Leh in Ladakh. The incident involved a single-engine Cheetah helicopter from the Army’s fleet and took place on May 20, though officials confirmed the development on Saturday morning. The single-engine Army Cheetah helicopter was carrying general Sachin Mehta, general officer commanding of the 3 Infantry Division, along with two pilots, a lieutenant colonel and a major, when it crashed.
Officials said all three occupants escaped with minor injuries and are safe and stable. They described the survival of everyone on board as “nothing short of a miracle”, given the difficult terrain and high-altitude flying conditions in the region. The Cheetah helicopter is frequently used for transport, reconnaissance and logistics missions in forward areas along the LAC.
According to reports, Major General Sachin Mehta was travelling to a forward post in Ladakh when the helicopter was forced to make a crash landing in Tangste. The Lieutenant Colonel and the Major were piloting the helicopter at the time of the incident. The crash left the helicopter severely damaged, with visuals from the site showing the aircraft badly wrecked in the rocky terrain. Officials said the officers managed to come out of the wreckage safely despite the extent of the damage caused to the aircraft. A selfie taken after the crash by Major General Sachin Mehta has gone viral on social media. The photograph shows the three officers seated on rocks near the wrecked helicopter shortly after the incident. The image quickly drew widespread attention online following reports of the crash and the officers’ escape.