Pilot, co-pilot of crashed helicopter in J&K still missing

Jammu, Aug 4 (IANS) The pilot and the co-pilot of the Dhruv helicopter that crashed on Tuesday into the Ranjit Sagar Dam in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district are still missing.Although there been no official defence statement on this crash, sources had said on Tuesday that both the pilot and the co-pilot 'were safe'.Police sources in Kathua, who were part of the rescue operation after the helicopter crashed in Basohli area of the district, where the Ranjit Sagar Dam is situated, said the two are still missing."The rescuers have recovered a helmet, a pithoo bag and a pair of shoes from the Dam waters, but there has been no trace of the missing pilot and the co-pilot."Rescue operation was called off due to darkness yesterday. It is being resumed today morning," a senior police officer said.The helicopter had taken off from Pathankot in Punjab and after flying very low, it crashed into the Dam.
--IANS sq/pgh