DIMAPUR/IMPHAL, Aug 18 � Three Army officers were killed in a helicopter crash near Viswema village, 20 kms from Kohima, today morning.
Army sources said the Cheetah helicopter, which was on a routine sortie from Dimapur to Imphal, crashed due to bad weather minutes before landing at Jakhama helipad. The deceased have been identified as Col PK Pal, Major Nikhil Rana and Major Rakesh Sharma.
The bodies of the three officers have been recovered and sent for post-mortem at Naga Hospital, Kohima.
�The helicopter took off for Tulihal airport, Imphal in the morning as part of routine training sorties,� an army media cell officer of 3 Corps headquarter at Rangapahar near Dimapur said over phone. �It was an accident due to bad weather,� he said.
The villagers of Viswema who are unaware of the crash had reportedly heard a loud sound in the morning. Later, a combined team of army, state police and local villagers conducted a search and rescue operation after a two-hour climb over Japfu hill range wherein they found the three dead bodies along with the wreckage of the helicopter near the fog-covered cliff, local sources said.
It is believed that the helicopter might have hit the cliff due to lack of visibility following continuous rain in the area.
The bodies of three officers � Colonel PK Pal, Commanding Officer of 7003 Electrical and Mechanical Engineering battalion, Major Rakesh Sharma, pilot and Major Nikhil Rana, co-pilot were later evacuated to Naga Hospital in Kohima in the evening for autopsy. Colonel Pal was said to be from Lucknow. But official home towns of the deceased officers are yet to be ascertained.
The Army has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident.
Nagaland Governor Nikhil Kumar and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio have expressed shock and condoled the death of the three officers in the crash.
In a condolence message to GOC, 3 Corps, Lt Gen NK Singh, the Governor expressed grief at the death of the three officers and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
In his condolence message to the GOC, Chief Minister Rio said the Army has lost three very efficient officers in the tragic incident. He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
