A power glider of the Navy, which was on a routine training sortie in Kochi, crashed near Thoppumpady bridge, resulting in the deaths of an officer and sailor on board. The incident occurred close to the coastal city's Naval Airport. The power hand-glider crashed into a location opposite the walkway near the bridge. "The cause of accident can be ascertained only after detailed enquiry," according to a Navy statement.
"[It] took off from INS Garuda near the Naval base around 07:00am on September 4. Lt Rajeev Jha (39) [from Uttarakhand] and Sunil Kumar POELA (29) [from Bihar], who were in the glider were recovered from the crash site and shifted to INHS Sanjivani, but were declared brought dead. The glider is being salvaged. A board of inquiry has been ordered by the Southern Naval Command to look into the incident," the Navy stated.
Lt Rajeev Jha and Sunil Kumar, POELA | Supplied Images
Further details are awaited.
