Army chopper crashes, pilot killed

Bareilly (UP), Nov 26 (PTI) An Indian Army helicopter
today crashed into a river, killing its pilot and injuring
another near Uchna gaon in northern state Uttar Pradesh,
police said.

The Army Aviation Corps chopper, which had taken off from
base at noon, was on a routine flight when it crashed into
Ramganga river, about seven kms from here, army sources
said.

Pilot Sachin Bhatia was killed and co-pilot K D Bhatia
was seriously injured in the mishap.

A fisherman saw the helicopter flying at a low
altitude before crashing into the river.

He rescued one of the pilots who was shouting for help,
police said, adding the other pilot, who was also critically
injured, was trapped in the wreckage and could not be saved.

The body was taken to the district hospital while the
injured was rushed to the military hospital, police said.
Senior army and civil officials had reached the crash
site, police added.

The cause of the crash could not be ascertained. There
was no official word from the Army.