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AHMEDABAD: More than a month after an Indian Coast Guard helicopter crashed, the body of a missing pilot was found in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast. Officials gave this information on Friday. Three crew members were missing after the ‘ALH MK-III’ helicopter crashed in the Arabian Sea near Porbandar in Gujarat on September 2. Although the bodies of two crew members were later found, the search for the pilot of this mission, Rakesh Kumar Rana, was going on.
A release issued by the Coast Guard said that Rana’s body was found in the sea on October 10, about 55 km south-west of Porbandar. “The Coast Guard, along with the Indian Navy and other stakeholders, continues to make tireless efforts to locate Mission Pilot-in-Command Rakesh Kumar Rana,” the release said. His mortal remains will be cremated accordingly. Salute to the three brave soldiers of the Indian Coast Guard, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
It has been reported that an advanced light helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard crashed in the Arabian Sea on the night of September 2 while attempting to evacuate an injured crew member aboard the motor tanker ‘Hari Leela’. There were four crew members on board.
Of the four crew members on board the helicopter, one diver, Gautam Kumar, was immediately rescued, while three went missing, the release said. A day later, the bodies of pilot Vipin Babu and diver Karan Singh were discovered, but Rana could not be found. After this a large-scale search operation was conducted. (input language)
