Pawan Hans helicopter crashes into sea off Mumbai coast, 2 pilots missing

Mumbai: A Pawan Hans helicopter with two pilots on board crashed off the coast of Mumbai on Wednesday night, reports said. The pilots are reportedly missing.

According to reports, the chopper crashed into the Arabian Sea minutes after take off from an ONGC platform. Last known position of the helicopter was 82 nautical miles west of Mumbai.

The Navy and the Coast Guard, which have launched a search and rescue operation to locate the missing pilots and wreckage, have sighted a door of the aircraft.​

ANI reported that destroyer INS Mumbai and two other war vessels were dispatched to the area to look for survivors.

The chopper was reportedly carrying out night landing practice on an oil rig when the accident took place.