Air force helicopter crashes at Chittagong base, three injured

A Bangladesh Air Force helicopter has crashed at its base in Chittagong, leaving all the three pilots injured.

The accident occurred at the BAF Base Zahurul Haque, next to Shah Amanat International Airport, around 11am on Wednesday.

The military’s press wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), released a statement saying it was an MI-17 helicopter and the injured were the pilot and the two co-pilots.

They are Squadron Leader Shafayet Sarwar, Pilot Officer Fuad-bin-Ehsan and Flight Engineer Sergeant Mohammad Ferdous Kamal.

Sarwar and Kamal have been sent to the Dhaka Combined Military Hospital while Ehsan has been admitted to the Navy Hospital in Chittagong.

“A distress call was sent from the helicopter to our control room around 10:35am citing mechanical failure. It then crashed near our runway around 11:06am,” the airport’s Manager Nur E Alam said.

A committee has been formed to find out what caused the accident.

Taking off and landing were suspended at the airport from 10:35am to 11:00am.

Air Force officials, who were at the scene, said they used this type of chopper for training, rescue and transportation.

An official said a problem was detected in the helicopter right after it took off around 10:30am. The pilot sent a message to the control tower for emergency landing but he could not control it.

A fire broke out as soon as the chopper crashed.

Ehsan crawled to safety while the others were rescued by crew present at the airport.