In a tragic incident, an Indian Navy personnel lost their life, and another was injured when a Chetak training helicopter of the Indian Navy met with an accident during a routine ground maintenance check. The incident occurred on the runway of the Naval airport at Willingdon Island near Kochi around 2:30 PM on a Saturday.
The seven-seater helicopter, with two people onboard, was involved in maintenance taxi checks at INS Garuda, Kochi. The accident resulted in the unfortunate loss of one ground crew member's life.
The helicopter operated from INS Garuda, the Naval air station adjacent to the Southern Naval Command in Kochi. According to a Hindustan Times report, the aircraft crashed soon after the lift-off, leaving two naval personnel injured in the incident. During the mishap, one personnel was killed after he was hit by the rotor blades of the chopper, it reported.
Media reports indicate that soon after the incident the duo were taken to the nearby Sanjeevni hospital at the Naval headquarters. Ernakulam Harbour police have reached the spot.