Seventeen people, including two children, have been killed in the second helicopter crash in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh in North East India. The 16-year-old Mi-17 helicopter belonging to Pawan Hans company, carrying 18 passengers and five crew members, was approaching Tawang district when it caught fire and plunged into a gorge on 19 April 2011.
Though it is a matter of serious concern, the cause of the crash was unclear. The crash might have been caused due to serious technical snags, as is evident from the incident occurred during August 2010, wherein a crew member of a Mi-72 fell out of the helicopter while trying to close a door which had opened during flight.
Again on 21 April 2011, another Helicopter of Indian Army crashed after taking off from Sewak Road Base in Siliguri of West Bengal killing four military personnel. During November 2010 also, an air force helicopter crashed minutes after take off, killing all the 12 passengers on board.
