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                In a heart-wrenching incident off the coast of India, two members of a four-person Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter crew tragically lost their lives after their aircraft crash-landed in the Arabian Sea. The helicopter was on a critical mission to evacuate a seriously injured crew member from the India-flagged tanker Hari Leela.

The accident occurred when the ICG helicopter was dispatched around 11 PM local time on Monday, following an urgent request from the master of the 46,000-dwt MR tanker. The ship, operated by Ind Aust Maritime of India, was positioned approximately 45 km from the Indian coastline.

As the helicopter approached the vessel, located about 63 km off Porbandar, it executed a hard landing into the sea, deploying emergency floatation devices in an attempt to stabilize the aircraft. Among the crew members onboard were two pilots and two aircrew divers. While one diver was successfully rescued, the bodies of one pilot and one aircrew diver were recovered on Tuesday.

The search continues for the remaining pilot, who is still missing more than 36 hours after the crash. Efforts are ongoing, with aircraft wreckage having been located during the search operation. The Indian Coast Guard has deployed four ships and two additional aircraft to aid in the extensive search and rescue mission.

This tragic event underscores the inherent risks faced by maritime rescue operations and the bravery of those who undertake these critical missions.