India Air Force chief has finally admitted that its Mi-17 chopper, which crashed near Srinagar on February 27 this year, came down after its own missile mistakenly hit it.
IAF chief Rakesh Kumar Bhadauria has admitted that the Mi-17 chopper crash on February 27 was a “big mistake” on part of the air force. The crash had left six IAF personnel dead.
“Court of Inquiry completed and it was our mistake as our missile had hit our own chopper,” Indian Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria told the ANI news agency on Friday.
Investigators had earlier found that the Indian air defence missile was fired shortly before the crash of the Mi17 V5 helicopter at Budgam near Srinagar. But the Indian Air Force had yet to accept its own fault.
“We will take action against two officers. We accept this was our big mistake and we will ensure such mistakes are not repeated in future,” the Indian air chief said.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said, “Court of Inquiry has completed and it was our mistake as our missile had hit our own chopper. We will take action against the two officers. We accept this was our big mistake and we will ensure such mistakes are not repeated in the future.”
In the crash, the Indian Air Force lost six personnel when their chopper was hit by its own SPYDER air defence missile over Budgam.
Bhadauria also said, “Rafale and S-400 Air Defence missile system will further bolster the capability of the Indian Air Force.”
At least seven people, including Indian six security forces personnel, reportedly died when the Indian helicopter Mi-17 V5 crashed in the Indian occupied Kashmir region.
The incident had taken place during a period of heightened India-Pakistan tensions, the same day that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down an Indian aircraft arrested an Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, on the ground.
Pakistan later handed over the arrested Indian air force pilot as a goodwill gesture.
