The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has confirmed that the remains of Commander Rakesh Kumar Rana, the pilot who went missing after a helicopter crash in September, have been recovered off the coast of Gujarat.
In a statement, the ICG announced that Rana’s remains were found approximately 55 kilometres southwest of Porbandar on Thursday.
Commander Rana was the pilot in command of the ALH MK-III helicopter that crashed into the Arabian Sea on 2 September 2024. The helicopter had four personnel on board. While one crew member was rescued shortly after the incident, the bodies of Commandant (Junior Grade) Vipin Babu and Pradhan Navik Karan Singh were recovered the following day, on 3 September, during a large-scale search and rescue operation.
The search for Commander Rana continued for over a month, with more than 70 air sorties and 82 ship days dedicated to locating him, involving multiple vessels from both the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy.
The ICG has confirmed that Rana’s remains will be cremated with full military honours.
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