15 military chopper accidents since March 2017: Official data
New Delhi(PTI) : Thirty-one people were killed in accidents involving 15 military helicopters since March 2017 that included the December 8 crash of the Mi-17V5 near Coonoor, according to details provided by the government in Lok Sabha on Friday.
The 15 choppers that met with accidents included four Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), four Cheetah, two ALH (weapon system integrated) versions, three Mi-17V5, an Mi-17 and a Chetak.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt shared the details of all helicopter accidents in the last five years in all three services. He was replying to a question.
The list of crashes provided by him began with the accident involving a Cheetah helicopter of the Indian Air Force on March 15, 2017, in which no one was killed or injured. Seven helicopters each from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force were involved in accidents during the period while the number from the Navy was one, according to the details.
The data showed 31 people were killed and 20 injured in the accidents. The total number of deceased in the 15 accidents included 14 people killed in the December 8 crash near Coonoor. CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 12 armed forces personnel were killed in the crash.
To a specific query on the crash of an ALH Rudra (WSI) in Ranjeet Sagar dam near Pathankot on August 3, Bhatt said there was no restriction on the helicopter flying over the water body.
"Lt Col A S Bath and Capt Jayant Joshi lost their lives after their helicopter Rudra-WSI crash landed in Ranjeet Sagar Dam on August 3. There is no restriction on the helicopter flying over water," the minister said.
"However, low flying over water needs specific authorisation. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the crash," he added.
Asked whether the pilots were not given specialised training required to fly over water, Bhatt said the training has been structured to meet the operational requirements. He said, however, operations over a large expanse of water are restricted.
To a separate question, he said following the Pathankot incident, the government approved an integrated smart power fencing called Integrated Perimeter Security System (IPSS) for 23 airbases.
There was a terror attack on Pathankot airbase on January 2, 2016. He said Bharat Electronics Ltd signed a contract with Indian Air Force for establishing the IPSS in the airbases across eight states.
He said the pilot site was commissioned in February 2021, adding the BEL has given sub-contract to many several Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and system integrators to implement the project.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
