An Army helicopter crashed in a forested, hilly area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, injuring three people, including its pilot and co-pilot, officials said.

The advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv crashed on the banks of a stream in Machina area of Marwah, cut off from the district headquarters due to heavy snow, said Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Khalil Ahmad Poswal.

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The crash took place around 10.35 am. The wreckage was found on the banks of the stream, he said.

Three Army personnel on board the helicopter, including the pilot and co-pilot, were rescued in an injured condition and airlifted to hospital.

For people in the area, helicopters are the only mode of transport during winter. Helicopters are also the only source of supplies, including rations.

There was some confusion earlier in the day over how many people were on board.

Kishtwar SSP Khalil Poswal said that rescue teams were rushed immediately to the crash site.

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“Rescue teams have been rushed. Being remote and hilly area, there is no mobile phone connectivity,” Poswal added.

Indian Army said in a statement that an ALH Dhruv helicopter on an operational mission tried to make a precautionary landing on the banks of the Marua River in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir after reporting a technical fault to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC).

“Due to the undulating ground, undergrowth, and unprepared landing area, the helicopter apparently made a hard landing,” Northern Command of the Indian Army said in a statement.

A court of inquired has been ordered, the statement read.

The region has been witnessing rains, snowfall, and cloudy weather for the past two to three days