Investigators in India have found that an Indian air defence missile was fired shortly before the crash of a Mi17 V5 helicopter in Budgam, near Srinagar, on February 27, the Economic Times reported.
At least seven people, including six security forces personnel, were killed when an Indian helicopter Mi-17 V5 crashed in Indian-held Kashmir on the day Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace and arrested an Indian pilot on ground.
According to ET sources, the final moments preceding the crash, including if the IFF (Identity, Friend or Foe) systems were switched on or not, are being carefully looked at to determine what went wrong. Sources in the air force told ET that they have made it clear that they not shy away from initiating court-martial proceedings against the personnel if they are found blameworthy in the inquiry.
The focus of the investigation now is to determine if multiple layers of safeguards meant to protect assets from friendly fire failed and how systems need to be improved to prevent any such incident in the future, the ET report said, adding that the missile – believed to be of Israeli origin – was activated after an air defence alert was sounded over Indian-held Kashmir after over 25 PAF jets were detected along the border on the morning of February 27.
The investigation further stated that the alert indicated that low-flying UAVs also might cross the border and it was possible that a slow-moving target like the Mi17 V5 helicopter could have been mistaken for a UAV. “When an air defence alert is sounded, several things take place. There are a set of rules that transport aircraft and helicopters need to follow and there are set entry and egress routes demarcated for aircraft flying. Also, aircraft are to switch on their IFF (Identify, Friend or Foe) systems,” sources told the newspaper.
The report said all angles are being probed to determine if lapses took place and where. A senior officer is conducting the court of inquiry into the crash and has been given access to all inputs available with ground controllers as well as the actions of the helicopter in the 10 minutes that it was in the air.
As reported by ET, the chopper crashed in the 10-minute span when IAF jets were engaged in an aerial battle with the Pakistan Air Force fighters, along the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector.
