Port Blair/Mayabunder: A helicopter operated by government-run service provider Pawan Hans made an emergency sea landing near Mayabunder in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Tuesday morning after developing a technical snag. All seven people onboard were rescued safely.
According to officials, the helicopter took off from Sri Vijayapuram, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at around 8:45 am for a scheduled inter-island flight. However, at approximately 9:30 am, the aircraft encountered a technical fault, forcing the pilots to execute a controlled ditching into the sea shortly before landing.
Swift and coordinated response by #IndianCoastGuard Station Mayabunder under #ANC, in synergy with PMF, Forest officials and local fishermen, ensured rescue of all seven occupants of a Pawan Hans helicopter that crashed at sea on 24 Feb 26, just before landing at Mayabunder… pic.twitter.com/3T1IXt7Pft
— Andaman & Nicobar Command (@AN_Command) February 24, 2026
The helicopter was carrying two pilots and five passengers — three men, one woman, and a child. Prompt rescue efforts ensured that everyone onboard was brought to safety without any reported injuries.
All passengers and crew members were later admitted to RP Hospital in Mayabunder for medical observation.
A senior Civil Aviation Department official said preliminary findings point to a technical malfunction that compelled the pilot to carry out the emergency landing in the sea. A detailed investigation has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the incident.
The swift response and controlled maneuver by the pilots averted what could have been a major aviation mishap.
