New Delhi, October 4: IAF chief Rakesh Kumar Bhadauria has admitted that the Mi-17 chopper crash on February 27 was a “big mistake” on part of the air force. The crash had left six IAF personnel dead.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said, “Court of Inquiry has completed and it was our mistake as our missile had hit our own chopper. We will take action against the two officers. We accept this was our big mistake and we will ensure such mistakes are not repeated in the future.”
In the crash, the Indian Air Force lost six personnel when their chopper was hit by its own SPYDER air defence missile over Budgam.
Bhadauria also said, “Rafale and S-400 Air Defence missile system will further bolster the capability of the Indian Air Force.”
Earlier it was reported that the IAF Court of Inquiry has found five officers guilty for the crash of a helicopter over Srinagar on February 27 when India and Pakistan were engaged in a short aerial battle.
This was a day after IAF jets conducted airstrikes in Pakistan’s Balakot and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps and Pakistan tried to retaliate by sending fighter jets towards the Indian side.
The fateful Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by an Indian missile when Indian air defences were on high alert following the February 26 Balakot airstrike that targetted a terrorist camp in Pakistan. The helicopter crashed near Budgam, killing all six Indian Air Force personnel on board.
The Mi-17 V-5 chopper belonged to the 154 Helicopter Unit and it crashed within 10 minutes after taking off while the Indian fighter jets were involved in an aerial dogfight with Pakistani jets. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was also a part of this dogfight.
