Nine perish as two IAF choppers collide

Nine defence personnel, including five officers, were killed Thursday when two Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters collided mid-air near Jamnagar in Gujarat, an official said.

The collision at the Sarmat range near Jamnagar, about 275 km from Ahmedabad, took place at 12.05 p.m. while two Russian-origin Mi-17 cargo choppers of the air force were on a training mission shortly after taking off from the Jamnagar airbase.

"Two Mi-17 IAF helicopters crashed near Sarmat range in Gujarat Aug 30 at about 12.05 p.m. The helicopters had taken off from Jamnagar airbase and were on a routine flying training mission.