Pawan Hans chopper wreckage brought to Juhu airport for probe

A week after the Pawan Hans helicopter crash, the wreckage recovered from the sea was brought to the Juhu airport and was reassembled on Saturday morning.

A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to visit Mumbai soon to study the reconstructed helicopter.

Although there is no official confirmation of the day that the investigating team will arrive in Mumbai, they are expected to be in Mumbai this week, said a senior official from Pawan Hans.

According to a Pawan Hans official, 85% of the helicopter parts had been recovered.

“Looking at the wreckage, one can imagine the speed at which the helicopter crashed into the sea,” said the official.

Dr BP Sharma, Pawan Hans chairman and managing director, said, “Pawan Hans has been in the service of ONGC since 1986, and ONGC remains our topmost priority. We have already appointed a high-level working group to reassess the current operational procedures.”

“The standards of operation will be further improved to achieve the best safety standards. Immediate and timebound measures have been initiated and experts have been recalled for urgent review,” he said.

A Pawan Hans helicopter crashed 30 nautical miles off Mumbai coast on January 13 killing the two pilots and five deputy general managers.