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An Indian Air Force Apache helicopter made an emergency landing in Punjab’s Pathankot on Friday. No damage or injuries were reported. This marks the second such precautionary landing involving an Apache chopper in one week.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) Apache attack helicopter made an emergency landing on Friday in a field near Halel village under Nangalpur police station in Punjab’s Pathankot district.
Officials confirmed that the landing was carried out safely, with no damage to the helicopter or injuries to the crew.
Video of IAF Apache making emergency landing in Punjab's Pathankot goes viral
The aircraft was on a routine sortie when the pilots detected a technical issue and chose to make a precautionary landing. The exact nature of the glitch could not be confirmed immediately.
After making the precautionary landing near Pathankot, the Indian Air Force Apache attack helicopter was checked for faults. According to ANI, Indian Air Force (IAF) officials said that the chopper returned to its base after technical checks.
Second Apache landing in a week
This is the second such emergency involving an IAF Apache helicopter in just a week. On June 6, another Apache was forced to land in a field near Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh due to a technical snag. That aircraft was also on a training mission. Both pilots were unharmed and, after on-ground checks, returned to their base at Sarsawa Air Station.
Apache: A lethal combat asset
The Apache helicopter, officially the Boeing AH-64 Apache, is one of the most advanced attack helicopters in the world. Known for its lethal firepower and agility, the Apache is equipped with a 30mm M230 chain gun, Hellfire missiles, and Hydra 70 rockets. It also features a high-tech sensor suite for day and night operations in adverse conditions.
The Indian Air Force began inducting the AH-64E Apache Guardian variant in 2019, while the Indian Army received its first batch in 2024. The helicopters are strategically deployed in high-altitude and sensitive border zones, including the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC), to provide close air support to ground forces.
Previous incidents raise questions
This is not the first time an Apache helicopter has faced trouble in India. In April last year, an Apache was badly damaged during a hard landing near Khardung La in Ladakh during an operational sortie.
While Friday’s incident did not lead to any damage or casualties, repeated emergency landings raise concerns about the maintenance and operational readiness of these high-value assets.
An official probe is expected to be initiated to determine the cause of the technical fault in the latest case.
