Three missing after Indian Coast Guard helicopter crashes in Arabian Sea

Search taking place for remaining crew members, after one was rescued when their aircraft got into difficulties during rescue operation

An Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter. The same type of aircraft crashed into the Arabian Sea during a rescue mission off the coast of Gujarat. Getty Images

Three members of the Indian Coast Guard are missing after their helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea during a rescue operation off the coast of the western state of Gujarat.

The crash occurred late on Monday when a four-member team were travelling in a Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter to collect an injured member of a tanker crew. The tanker was off the coast of the city of Porbandar.

Officials said the helicopter was forced to turn around to attempt an emergency landing, but did not make it back to shore.

One of the crew was rescued, but three remain missing, the Indian Coast Guard said. The wreckage of the helicopter has been found and authorities have sent four ships and two aircraft to search for the missing crew members, it added.

The coast guard is India’s main maritime security agency and is deployed to conduct emergency and rescue missions across the country’s vast waters.