AMN
A Coast Guard Helicopter ALH Mark III, made a forced landing soon after taking off from the Coast Guard Enclave at the Cochin International Airport this afternoon. The official sources said the chopper was airborne and had attained a height of about 30 to 40 feet above the ground, when the cyclic controls which regulate the longitudinal and lateral movement of the aircraft failed to respond, compelling the pilot to force land.
All three personnel on board the chopper are safe. The Coast Guard has ordered an inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident. Cochin International Airport authorities said the airport operations had to be suspended for nearly two hours following the incident. The ALH was removed from the operational area and the runway was cleared after a safety inspection. An Oman Air flight from Muscat was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, while two other flights — a Saudi Arabian flight to Jeddah and an Air India flight to Heathrow were delayed.