Chetak helicopter crash-lands at INS Rajali in TN, crew safe

A Chetak CH 442 helicopter of the Indian Navy on a training sortie crash-landed at INS Rajali near here Monday and the crew was safe, a defence official said.

An investigation was underway to ascertain the cause of the incident, a defence release said.

It said the sortie was of a routine nature.

"Chetak CH 442 on a training sortie at Rajali....whilst carrying out dry winching dual sortie, the helo (helicopter) crash landed," the defence public relations official told PTI.

As soon as the incident occurred at about 9.04 am, "the station rescue team reached the site within minutes...the crew is safe and no other casualty has been reported," the release said.

INS Rajali, also known as the Arakkonam Naval Air Station, is located about 75 km from here.

Damage was reported to the main and tail rotors, the official said.