Sri Vijaya Puram | February 25, 2026
Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) has issued an official statement on social media platform X regarding the helicopter ditching incident near Mayabunder on February 24.
In a post shared at 4:13 PM on February 24, the company stated that its Dauphin N3 helicopter (VT-PHY) took off from Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) at around 8:30 AM for a scheduled passenger flight from Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) to Rangat and further to Mayabunder.
According to the statement, the helicopter landed at Rangat helipad at around 9:05 AM and departed again at approximately 9:10 AM for Mayabunder.
“The helicopter ditched about 300 meters short of Mayabunder helipad in the sea (shallow water) at around 0930 hours. There were 05 passengers with 02 crew on board. All passengers and crew have been safely retrieved. PHL is actively coordinating with all respective agencies,” the post read.
As reported earlier by Nicobar Times, the helicopter made a controlled ditching in shallow waters about 300 metres short of the helipad at Mayabunder. Locals, emergency responders and nearby personnel swiftly initiated rescue efforts, ensuring that all passengers and crew members were brought to safety without any loss of life.
While no casualties have been reported, the circumstances leading to the ditching are yet to be officially detailed. A detailed investigation is expected to be carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in accordance with established aviation safety protocols. The incident is likely to undergo a technical and operational assessment to determine the factors that led to the ditching, while regulatory aspects may also be reviewed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Pawan Hans, which operates inter-island helicopter services for the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, said it is actively coordinating with all concerned agencies in connection with the incident.
Further updates are awaited.
