Ranjit Sagar Dam Crash: Body of missing pilot Capt Jayant Joshi recovered from lake bed

Nearly 75 days after the Rudra helicopter crashed into the Ranjit Sagar Dam near Pathankot, the Indian Army and Navy have managed to recover the body of Capt Jayant Joshi, the second pilot who went missing after the incident. As per an official statement of the PRO Defence, the body of the late Captain has been recovered from the lake bed using hi-tech equipment. Search and rescue teams managed to locate the deceased by using multi-beam sonar equipment to scan the lake bed and based on its inputs, detected his body at a depth of 65-70 metres. After rescuing the body, local medical examination confirmed that it belonged to Capt Jayant Joshi, who had made the ultimate sacrifice on August 3, 2021.

The statement read, "Persistent efforts by Indian Army and Navy for 75 days which were going on day and night to recover the body of Capt Jayant Joshi, the second pilot of the helicopter which crashed in Ranjit Sagar Dam on 03 Aug 2021 has finally succeeded and body have been recovered from the lake bed using hi-tech equipment."

"Due to the vast expanse and depth of the dam, Search and Rescue team was using state of the art multi beam sonar equipment to scan the lake bed and based on the inputs received, the remotely operated vehicle having robotic arm along with the professional divers were launched to search the area. During similar search on 17 Oct 2021, body was detected at a depth of 65-70 mtr and immediately the ROV was launched to recover the body. The body after local medical examination was evacuated to Military Hospital Pathankot for further examination," it added.

The PRO Defence expressed condolences over the incident and asserted the Indian Armed Forces stood in solidarity with the family of Capt Jayant Joshi during this hour of grief. "Indian Armed Forces once again demonstrate its resolve towards its soldiers and took all possible actions to recover the body of Capt Jayant Joshi, a young pilot who made the supreme sacrifice in line of duty," it said. " Indian Army stands shoulder to shoulder with the family of Capt Jayant Joshi during this hour of grief," it added.

On August 3, Rudra helicopter crashed into Ranjit Sagar Lake in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. Two Indian Army pilots — a lieutenant colonel and a captain went missing thereafter. Earlier on August 15, the rescue teams had recovered the mortal remains of Lt Col Abheet Singh Baath, the pilot of the helicopter.