During a training sortie in Patnitop area, Indian Army`s Cheetah helicopter crash-landed in Shiv Garh Dhar area in the district, a Jammu-based defence spokesman said. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

Officials said the incident reportedly occurred between 10.30 am to 10.45 am when the chopper was caught in bad weather, officials said, adding the helicopter belonged to the Army Aviation Corps. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

There was a thick fog over Patnitop when the incident occurred. Local residents were the first to reach the site and they pulled out the pilots from the severely damaged helicopter. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

Army Commander, Northern Command, and all other ranks salute the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty on 21 September 2021 at Patnitop and offer deepest condolences to their families, the Army`s Northern Command said. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

Both the pilots were critically injured during the helicopter crash landing, evacuated to the nearest medical facility, but later succumbed to their injuries. Pic/Pallwal Paliwal

This is second army helicopter crash in the last seven weeks in Jammu and Kashmir. Last month two pilots were killed after an army helicopter crashed into Ranjit Sagar dam. The body of one fallen pilot is still missing. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Twitter said he was `disturbed to receive the news of Army Helicopter crash around Patnitop region`. Pic/Pallav Paliwal