Indian Army Chetak helicopter crashes in Bhutan, both pilots killed

A chopper belonging to the Indian Military Training Team crashed near Younphula in Bhutan at 1:00 pm on Friday. As per official statement, the helicopter radio and visual contact soon after 1:00 pm. It was on its way for duty from Khirmu (Arunachal Pradesh) to Younphula. The Ground Search and Rescue (SAR) operation was launched immediately from Younphula and the wreckage of the chooper was located. The Indian Air Force and Indian Army helicopter SAR were alos launched also Misamari, Gty, Hashimara. The Army officials are awaiting for more details about the incident.

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Indian Army officer among two dead

The single engine Cheetah Heptr was piloted by one Indian and one Royal Bhutanese Army pilots. Indian Army undertakes training of pilots also as part of the Indian Army Training Team. The Indian Army pilot who died in the crash was a Lt Col (Lieutenant colonel) rank while the other was a Bhutanese Army pilot training with the Indian Army.The sources said that the chopper crashed into the hill near near Khentongmani, Younphula as it was about to land. Sources added that the weather was bad and had thick fog. 

See visuals from of the wreckage below

Indian Army at high altitudes

Indian Army to open Siachen glacier for civilians

The Siachen glacier is the world's highest battlefield. After the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir leading to a separate Union Territory of Ladakh, India is now planning to open up several high-altitude military locations such as the Siachen glacier to common people. According to Army sources, the Army Chief has stated that people are curious to know more about army life and its challenges. The Army has been allowing common people to visit the Army's training centres and institutions, but now plans are underway to open forward posts such as the Siachen glacier as well, adding that it would be good for national integration, the Army Chief’s statement in the conference. 

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Indian Army cleans up Siachen

As a part of the Siachen Swachhta Abhiyan, the Indian Army is cleaning up the garbage that has been continuously gathering in Siachen glacier for the past 40 years, since 1979. So far, more than 130 tonnes of waste has been disposed of off, since they started in 2018. In high altitude areas like Siachen, where the temperature is always in the minus, even the degradable waste is not disposed of. As in this minus degree temperature, waste cannot degrade, all the garbage needs to be brought down, making it the biggest challenge.

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Indian Army's jt operation in Donguz Range's Russia

The Twitter handle of Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) uploaded a video of the Indian Army carrying out a joint manoeuvre under air support of Russian air assets. In the operation, several tanks can be seen in a deserted barren land in the Donguz range with numerous helicopters flying past. This is the Tsentr 2019 exercise which was aimed to increase cooperation, enhance interoperability among the armies to help counter terrorism and provide security in the Central Asian region. This operation for the Ex-Tsentr 2019 event in Russia aimed to conduct joint military exercise.\

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