An Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) crashed into the Arabian Sea while performing an emergency evacuation on September 2, 2024.
The helicopter, carrying four Coast Guard members, was attempting to evacuate an injured crew member from the tanker Hari Leela, in the Indian State of Gujarat, located 30 miles off the coast of Porbandar.
During the procedure, the helicopter was forced to ditch into the Arabian Sea, where it eventually sank after a hard landing.
When the helicopter went missing, the Indian Coast Guard deployed four ships and two aircraft for its search.
One crew member was rescued, while two bodies, including the pilot’s, were recovered from inside the helicopter. Search for the fourth crew member is still ongoing.
The cause of the crash is still unknown. The Indian-made AHL, or HAL Dhruv, is a utility, twin-engine helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics.
According to a 2023 report by The Hindustan Times, the ALH was involved in 12 accidents from 2018-2023. The Indian Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard currently operate more than 330 ALHs.