Chetak helicopter crashes, 2 Army officers killed

NASHIK: A Chetak helicopter of the Army today crashed in a residential area here killing two officers but there was no casualty on the ground.

The helicopter, which on a routine sortie had taken off from Gandhinagar for Army Aviation Training School here, crashed after hitting a bungalow in Jachak Nagar area at 0855 hours, army and police officials said.

"No body was present in the bungalow at the time of the crash and the house also did not suffer any major damage," police officers said.

The victims were identified as Major Atul Garje and Captain Bhanu Das of Army aviation base in Jodhpur, Army sources said.

The bodies of the two officers were extricated from the mangled remains of the helicopter by fire brigade and Army personnel.

Nasik District Magistrate P Velasani said there was no civilian casualty and the helicopter as per the preliminary investigation crashed due to possible technical failure.

"All we can say is that both the pilots on board are dead. The helicopter crashed in a civilian area and there is no civilian casualty. Investigations are on," he said.