India had 30 accidents involving helicopters, aircraft since 2011, 52 lives lost

New Delhi: There have been 30 accidents involving helicopters and other aircraft in which a total of 52 people were killed since 2011.

While 11 accidents were reported in 2011, there were nine in 2012, eight in 2013 and two so far this year, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said in reply to a query in Lok Sabha, adding that there were 52 fatalities in ten of these accidents.

In most of these accidents, the choppers suffered substantial damage, he said in reply to a question.

As many as 100 aircraft were grounded for technical reasons in the past three years, including 30 of Jet Airways group and 41 of Air India and its subsidiaries, Minister of State G M Siddeshwara said.

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The other airlines whose airplanes were grounded were 14 of SpiceJet, 10 of GoAir and five of IndiGo.

To a question on fake pilots licenses, Raju said 36 cases had been registered in the last three years, while no such case has come to light so far this year.

Licenses of 16 pilots were suspended based on the probe by Anti-Corruption Bureau of Rajasthan in 19 cases relating to faking of flying hours in a Jaipur flying school.

In 17 cases relating to fake result sheets, the licenses of 15 pilots were suspended during this period, he said, adding that Delhi Police was pursuing further investigations.

As many has 2,451 commercial pilot licenses have been issued since 2011 till June this year, the Minister said.

PTI