Mumbai, Mar 8 (PTI) An Indian Navy Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) on a routine sortie with three personnel on board made a controlled landing off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday, an official said.

Also Read | Aditya Thackeray Urges Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia To Give Maharashtra Two More Airports in Palghar and Fardapur.

The crew was rescued by a naval patrol aircraft, said the official.

Also Read | Haryana CM Manohar Lal Says Gurdwaras To Be Managed by Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

“An Indian Navy ALH on a routine flying mission off Mumbai experienced a sudden loss of power and rapid loss of height. The pilot carried out controlled ditching over water. All three aircrew exited the helicopter safely and were recovered as part of a swift rescue operation,” the official said.

Ditching refers to a controlled landing on water, the official said.

“The pilot did a controlled landing so that the aircraft is not lost. The floatation gears were deployed and efforts are on to salvage the helicopter,” the official said.

The crew was brought to the Navy's helicopter base INS Shikra and medically examined. All three are safe, said the official.

An inquiry to investigate the incident has been ordered, the official added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)