A routine rescue mission turned into a desperate search operation when an Indian Coast Guard helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea off the Porbandar coast late Monday night. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which had recently saved 67 lives during cyclonic weather in Gujarat, was en route to evacuate a critically injured crew member from the Indian-flagged Motor Tanker Hari Leela, approximately 45 kilometers from Porbandar.
The helicopter, carrying four aircrew members, including two pilots, encountered difficulties while approaching the vessel for evacuation. As a result, it was forced to land in the sea. Immediate search efforts led to the recovery of one diver, who is reportedly in stable condition. However, the search for the remaining three crew members, including both pilots, continues with urgency.
The Indian Coast Guard has deployed four ships and two aircraft to scour the area in hopes of locating the missing personnel and the wreckage of the helicopter. The incident has cast a somber shadow over what was intended to be a life-saving mission, with the fate of the two pilots and another diver hanging in the balance as rescue efforts persist.
