Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), April 3: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has released its preliminary findings into the February 24 helicopter crash involving a Pawan Hans aircraft near Mayabunder, indicating that reduced visibility and a high rate of descent occurred during the final phase of the flight. The bureau said the investigation remains ongoing and the exact cause has not yet been determined.
The helicopter, an Airbus Helicopters AS365N3 bearing registration VT-PHY, was operating a scheduled inter-island service on the Sri Vijaya Puram–Rangat–Mayabunder route. It departed Sri Vijaya Puram carrying 10 passengers, including eight adults and two infants.
At Rangat, five passengers, four adults and one infant, disembarked. The aircraft continued its journey toward Mayabunder without shutting down its engines, according to the report.
During the second leg of the flight, the helicopter climbed to an altitude of approximately 1,500 feet. The crew encountered haze and reduced visibility conditions en route and opted to follow the coastline while proceeding toward Mayabunder.
The situation escalated during the final approach phase, when the co-pilot was handling the controls. The aircraft experienced a high rate of descent before crash-landing into the sea. The report does not specify further technical details at this stage.
The wreckage was later located about 1.6 kilometres from the Mayabunder helipad in shallow waters, with a depth of approximately four to five feet at low tide. The helicopter was found resting on its starboard side. Parts of the fuselage remained above the waterline, enabling initial assessment at the site.
The AAIB has clarified that these findings are based on preliminary observations and should not be treated as conclusive. A detailed investigation is underway to determine the precise sequence of events and contributing factors behind the crash.
