IAF chopper goes missing with three on board

Guwahati: An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter, which was on a flood relief mission, with three persons on board, was on Tuesday went missing near Sagalee in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) had taken off from Tezpur airbase in Assam around 4 p.m., IAF official said. Contact with the chopper was lost shortly after it took off.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu is himself monitoring the situation, said officials. Police has been directed to extend all possible help in the search and rescue operation.

Also read: China will not hesitate to opt military way if India does not listen

Also on Tuesday, a Border Security Force (BSF) chopper carrying Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had to make an emergency landing in a playground in Itanagar due to bad weather. Rijiju tweeted about the missing IAF helicopter.

"Weather is turbulent in North-East. I'm safe but the whole state machinery is geared up to locate IAF ALH chopper missing almost at same time," Rijiju said in a tweet.

Also read: Indo-China war could not be ruled out, says Chinese expert