Friendly Fire Led to Budgam Chopper Crash? Air Force Investigates

Reports suggest, the chopper might have been mistaken for a Pakistani ‘low flying armed UAV’.

Wreckage of an IAF Mi17V5 helicopter which crashed near the Garend Kalan village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam area.

(Photo: Muneeb ul Islam/The Quint)

Among the threads being investigated in the 27 February crash of an IAF Mi-17 helicopter near Srinagar during a tense standoff with Pakistan, is the possibility of the helicopter being "accidentally" shot down by Indian Air Defence System, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

The officials, who are familiar with the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity, believe that the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter may not have switched on the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system which identifies the flying object to radars, whether it is a an enemy or one of its own.

The IFF technology developed during World War II is an instrument within the aircraft or a helicopter which sends signals to nearby radars giving its identification signatures.

Meanwhile, a separate Economic Times report confirmed that investigators have found that an Indian air defence missile was fired shortly before the crash, adding that the IFF systems are being carefully examined.

The report also quoted sources in the Air Force to state that a court martial will be initiated against personnel, if they are found blameworthy.

The report says that the 'missile was activated after an air defence alert was sounded over Jammu and Kashmir, besides other parts of the border, after over 25 Pakistani air force jets were detected along the border on the morning of 27 February.

It also adds that the chopper might have been mistaken for a Pakistani ‘low flying armed UAV’.

The helicopter was flown by Sqdn Leader Siddharth Vashisht, with other members, including Sqdn Ldr Ninad Mandvgane, Kumar Pandey, Sergeant Vikrant Sehrawat, Corporals Deepak Pandey and Pankaj Kumar.

It crashed at Budgam after taking off from Srinagar airport at 10:10 am, soon after Pakistani Air Force jets had attempted to violate the Indian airspace at around 9.30 am on 27 February.

(With inputs from The Economic Times and PTI)