As India orders more 6 ALH Mk-III helicopters, a look at major crashes that have plagued HAL’s Dhruv chopper

India has signed defence contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore, including a Rs 2,901 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for six Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk-III (Maritime Role) variants for the Indian Coast Guard. The agreements were inked on March 3 in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and also cover the procurement of Russian-origin Shtil surface-to-air missiles for the Indian Navy.

The ALH Mk-III, part of the Dhruv series that has been operational for over two decades, is a 5.5-tonne twin-engine helicopter designed for maritime security missions from shore bases and ships at sea. The new induction is intended to strengthen the Coast Guard’s capabilities in island protection, offshore security, safeguarding fishermen and preserving the marine environment. The six helicopters will add to the Coast Guard’s existing ALH fleet.

However, the fresh order comes against the backdrop of repeated accidents involving the ALH platform. A total of 26 crashes have been reported in recent years across services.


Below is a reverse chronological account of major ALH incidents:

January 5, 2025
An Indian Coast Guard ALH crashed in Porbandar, Gujarat, killing three crew members, including two pilots and an aircrew diver.

September 2024
An ALH Dhruv of the Coast Guard ditched at sea off the Gujarat coast while approaching the motor tanker Hari Leela, about 45 km from Porbandar. Two pilots were killed.

May 4, 2023
Two Indian Army pilots died in an ALH crash in Jammu and Kashmir. The Army subsequently grounded its fleet for safety checks.

March 2023
The Army, Indian Air Force and Navy grounded their ALH fleets after four major accidents in 2023. In one case, a Navy ALH experienced a loss of power and was forced to ditch in water.

October 2022
An Indian Army Aviation ALH Mk IV crashed near Migging in Arunachal Pradesh, killing all five personnel on board.

October 2019
An ALH crashed in the Poonch area of Jammu, injuring Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh and eight others.

July 2014
One of the deadliest ALH crashes occurred near Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, killing all seven crew members.

2009–2015 (Ecuador)
Ecuador purchased seven Dhruv helicopters beginning in 2009. One crashed in October 2009, and by 2015, four of the seven helicopters had been lost in accidents.

The Army operates 154 ALHs and has lost 16 in accidents. The Air Force operates 70 ALHs and has recorded six crashes. The Navy operates 23 ALHs, some of which have crashed, including incidents linked to control rod failure. The Coast Guard inducted 16 ALH Mk-III helicopters, of which three have crashed, leaving 13 in service.