Video footage has emerged showing the moment an Indian Coast Guard ALH Dhruv helicopter performed a challenging medical evacuation from MT Celestial Copenhagen, a liquified natural gas (LNG) tanker, 50 miles off the coast of Porbandar, Gujarat, in northwest India.
The rescue operation, which involved airlifting a critically ill crew member, an Indian national, was performed in stormy weather conditions, footage published by Indian media shows.
The ship lacked a landing platform, and a crane had to be used to lift the patient to the helicopter.
MT Celestial Copenhagen was sailing from Oman to the Indian port of Dahej, Gujarat, where there is an LNG terminal.
The ALH Dhruv is a multi-role helicopter developed by Hindustan Aeronautics in cooperation with Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) of Germany. It entered service in 2002 and is currently used by all different branches of the Indian military.