Army officer’s selfie with crashed helicopter puts spotlight on May 20 ‘accident’ in Ladakh

A viral selfie with Army officers, including pilots, next to a crashed chopper on Saturday (May 23, 2026) put a spotlight on an “accident” that took place on May 20, 2026 in Ladakh. Meanwhile, a Court of Inquiry (CoI) has been ordered into the incident.

Officials said an Indian Army Cheetah light helicopter “met with an accident on May 20 in the Ladakh sector”.

“The two pilots and Division Commander Major General Sachin Mehta suffered injuries in the accident but are safe and stable,” officials said.

Meanwhile, a Court of Inquiry was ordered into the incident “to ascertain the cause of the accident”.

The incident came to light only after a selfie emerged on social media. It showed the Army officer and his colleagues on a mountain slope with the crashed chopper. One of the pilots could be seen flashing a victory sign after surviving the “accident”.

Official sources said the crash site was close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Shyok River region of Eastern Ladakh bordering China.