NEW DELHI: India's Air Force chief has finally admitted that its Mi-17 chopper, which crashed near Srinagar on February 27 this year, came down after its own missile mistakenly hit it.
"Court of Inquiry completed and it was our mistake as our missile had hit our own chopper," Indian Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria told the ANI news agency on Friday.
Investigators had earlier found that the Indian air defence missile was fired shortly before the crash of the Mi-17 V5 helicopter in Budgam near Srinagar. But the Indian Air Force had yet to accept its own fault.
"We will take action against two officers. We accept this was our big mistake and we will ensure such mistakes are not repeated in future," Bhadauria said.
At least seven people, including six security forces personnel, reportedly died when the helicopter crashed in the Indian occupied Kashmir region on February 27.
The incident had taken place during a period of heightened India-Pakistan tensions, the same day that the Pakistan Air Force shot down an Indian aircraft when it intruded into Pakistani airspace.
Pakistan later handed over the arrested Indian air force pilot as a goodwill gesture.
Former WWE exec currently co-chairs US President-elect's transition team ahead of his return to White House
Roughly 400-foot-tall rocket system is designed to land astronauts on moon and ferry crews to Mars
Oz unsuccessfully ran for US Senate in 2022
Documents seized by police revealed plan to shoot or poison Lula put two retired army generals in charge
This strike followed newly granted permission from outgoing Biden administration
Analysts say Russia could consider a nuclear strike in response to conventional attack